Historically speaking, cheese by it's own history has been made from milk that comes from a lactating mammal. Technically speaking, these milks are 'dairy'. Whether cow, goat, sheep, water buffalo...even horse - though I don't know of a cheese made from horse milk - or any other lactating mammal, all 'milks' are made up of various components of water, lactose, and protein, essential amino acids essential fatty acids, vitamins and inorganic elements.
There are a number of reasonable soy 'cheese' products available at various stores and websites, that cater to the vegan or vegetarian portion of our population. Technically speaking, this type is not really 'dairy'.In large part, walking in to a 'fine cheese' shop negates the possibility of this cheese being carried. Most of this type of shop promotes farmstead and artisan cheeses, produced by farmers across the country. According to the web site http://www.foodallergy.org/allergens/milk-allergy:
"Milk allergy should not be confused with lactose intolerance. A food allergy is an overreaction of the immune system to a specific food protein. When the food protein is ingested, in can trigger an allergic reaction that may include a range of symptoms from mild symptoms (rashes, hives, itching, swelling, etc.) to severe symptoms (trouble breathing, wheezing, loss of consciousness, etc.). A food allergy can be potentially fatal.Unlike food allergies, food intolerances do not involve the immune system. People who are lactose intolerant are missing the enzyme lactase, which breaks down lactose, a sugar found in milk and dairy products. As a result, lactose-intolerant patients are unable to digest these foods, and may experience symptoms such as nausea, cramps, gas, bloating and diarrhea. While lactose intolerance can cause great discomfort, it is not life-threatening." If I had a real milk allergy, I am not sure I would go anywhere near a real cheese store, and would not take a lunch there.
We are very careful in our store to wear gloves when preparing your food, and follow proper sanitation procedures on an hourly basis. We offer salads, and can make sandwiches with just meat and veggies, no cheese. I can only vouch for our practices.If I had, however, a lactose intolerance, there are some options I might try. Goat or Sheep milk cheeses are now widely available in many cheese shops and prove to be more easily 'tolerated' due to the shorter length of the fatty acid chains present in these particular milks.
Remember, smaller ruminants means shorter fatty acids. Much of the indigestion problems experienced may be due to the eating of mostly cow milk cheeses in their softer and fresher state. These cheeses contain a larger proportion of fatty acids, and the chain is longer than those in goat and sheep milks. It is possible one might be able to tolerate a restricted number of cheeses that are hard, aged, pressed. As the whey is 'pressed' out of the cheese, it takes with it a large portion of the offending lactose, the dairy sugar that is contained in milks. With all things a trial and error process is called for, and the expertise of your doctor might be utilized to make selections that fit your individual condition.ljw
