Dairy Allergies and What to Do About It Food allergy or hypersensitivity refers to the body's immune system's abnormal allergic reaction to a usually harmless food such as milk, eggs, peanuts, and fish. Food allergens that cause allergic reactions are usually proteins and this can cause adverse effects even when cooked or digested. Dairy allergens include milk and milk proteins found in cows, sheep, goats and other grazing mammals that produce milk. Milk allergy symptoms can vary from person to person and sometimes occur within a few minutes to a few hours after ingestion. The main symptoms are mainly respiratory, gastrointestinal and dermatological. After consuming milk, some symptoms may emerge immediately such as hives, vomiting, and wheezing. In some cases, signs and symptoms may take a longer period of time to develop, such as diarrhea, abdominal cramps, itchy skin rashes, and loose stools, which may contain blood. For babies, colic also appears much longer than most symptoms, so parents should be more alert for signs of milk allergy. Rarely, milk allergies can trigger anaphylaxis, which is a serious reaction that can be life-threatening. It is best to see your doctor even if the reaction is only mild. This is to avoid potentially worse reactions in the future and also to know the steps to avoid its recurrence. Difference between milk allergy and lactose intolerance Milk allergy is a food allergy, in which the body's immune system causes an overreaction to dairy products. An allergic reaction can include mild to severe symptoms such as rash, hives, and swelling. It can also cause anaphylaxis which can be life-threatening. Lactose intolerance, on the other hand, is a food intolerance that is not related...... middle of paper ......alsCandyCandyChocolateDoughnutsMeat - both canned and processed such as lunch meat, cured meats, hot dogs and sausagesMargarineMashed potatoesNougatSalad dressingSorbetSome unexpected sources of dairySome foods may also contain unexpected traces of milk and consuming even small amounts can still trigger an allergic reaction.Meats and cured meats: Slicers are also often used to cut cheesesSome brands of canned tuna they may contain casein, a milk protein. Some milk replacers are made on the same equipment used for milk. Some packaged meat products may contain casein as a binder, so get into the habit of reading the label. Shellfish are sometimes soaked in milk to reduce their fishy odor. Most restaurants use butter in steaks after grilling them to add flavor. Some medications may also contain milk proteins