Nutritional Information

Parmigiano Reggiano is lactose free. The absence of lactose is a consequence of the traditional Parmigiano Reggiano manufacturing process. Galactose less than 0.01g / 100g.

There are microbiological conditions for which lactose is absent in Parmigiano Reggiano from the very first days.

Lactose is a sugar that is normally present in milk. In the Parmigiano Reggiano production process, lactose is fermented by the microflora of lactic acid bacteria during the first 48 hours following production. This is the so-called lactic fermentation, during which lactic bacteria, normally present in milk, turn lactose sugar into lactic acid during the first two days following production.

Scientific research confirms these statements.

• The research study carried out by the Consortium on the evolution of glycolysis shows that 48 hours after production, 0.004g/100g of lactose are found in the wheel (Pecorari and others, 2003) (Note 1)
• Studies carried out by Giovanni Valentino Coppa of the Università Politecnico delle Marche, using a more sensitive analytical method, demonstrated that Parmigiano Reggiano contains extremely low levels of lactose. Tests on several samples of Parmigiano Reggiano, analysed at different degrees of maturation from 1 to 36 months, showed lactose levels more than one hundred times lower than those measured by Pecorari and others (Note 2 and 3).
• Moreover, the Consortium periodically tests random samples of Parmigiano Reggiano to check lactose content. Samples are collected both during quality inspection operations (from 9 months of maturation onwards) and from the market (with maturations of more than 12 months).

In all the samples tested by the Consortium, the lactose values were always lower than the level of detection of the method (LOD = 0.01g/100g) confirming repeatedly the above mentioned studies and the fact that maturation does not affect the content of lactose present in Parmigiano Reggiano.

Note 1 ) Pecorari M., Gambini G., Reverberi P., Panari G. (2003) Andamento della glicolisi nelle prime fasi di maturazione del Parmigiano Reggiano. Scienza e tecnica lattiero-casearia, 54(3):149-162

Nota 2 ) Coppa G.V. (2011) Gli oligosaccardi: i potenziale prebiotici del Parmigiano Reggiano. Pediatria preventiva e sociale 2011(2):154-155.

Nota 3 ) Coppa G.V. (2007) Caratterizzazione biochimica dei carboidrati contenuti nel formaggio Parmigiano Reggiano a diversi tempi di stagionatura. Collana Editoriale Quaderni del Parmigiano Reggiano - Il Parmigiano Reggiano nella nutrizione in età evolutiva.