Lactose digestion from yogurt: influence of a meal and additional lactose.
Lactose in yogurt is better digested than lactose in other dairy foods by lactase-deficient individuals, in part because of intraintestinal activity of yogurt microbial beta-galactosidase (beta-gal). The survival and activity of yogurt beta-gal depend on gastrointestinal transit, pH, and viability of the yogurt culture. To evaluate the ability of yogurt beta-gal to digest lactose when yogurt is consumed with food or with additional lactose, 22 healthy lactose-maldigesting individuals were fed 10 test meals. Results of breath-hydrogen expiration, incidence of symptoms, and enzyme and lactose content of gastric aspirates indicate that the consumption of a meal with yogurt does not inhibit, and may slightly improve, lactose digestion from yogurt. However, yogurt beta-gal appears unable to assist in the digestion of additional lactose beyond that normally present in yogurt.
Martini
M C
MC
Department of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Minnesota, St Paul 55108.
Kukielka
D
D
Savaiano
D A
DA
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D004063:Digestion; D005260:Female; D005502:Food; D006801:Humans; D007785:Lactose / Q000378:metabolism*; D007787:Lactose Intolerance / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008892:Milk / Q000378:metabolism; D015014:Yogurt
D007785:Lactose