What is Casein Test?

A cold glass of milk, a slice of cheese or a crunchy piece of toast with butter melting on it. These may look enticing to some. For others, they are nothing short of instruments of torture.

According to research, cow's milk is one of the most leading food allergies. It can cause vomiting, nausea, giddiness and diarrhea in many young children. One of the reasons for this widespread allergy could be the fact that milk protein is usually the first protein that is ingested by infants, and those children who are allergic to milk will develop severe allergic reactions easily. Of course, more than 50% of such children outgrow their milk allergy in the course of time.

But, even as adults, many of us experience bloating, heaviness, gas, nausea and even vomiting when we take in milk or milk products. In fact, a good majority of adults are sensitive to milk and milk products. A person who is sensitive to milk is unable to digest milk proteins. This is what causes the symptoms to occur.

Typically, people who suffer adverse reactions from taking in dairy products believe that they are allergic to milk. This is not always true. Milk and milk products can cause two different kinds of reactions in people:

- Lactose intolerance
- Milk allergy

An inability to digest lactose causes lactose intolerance, which though uncomfortable is not life threatening. But milk allergy is caused by the proteins in milk.

Milk contains two important proteins - whey and casein. Whey, as you know, is the watery portion which makes up 87% of milk. Casein is the thick portion that sets into curd when milk is left to curdle and it accounts for 4% of the rest. Some people are allergic to whey, while others cannot take in casein.

Unlike lactose intolerance, casein allergy triggers severe symptoms. It can cause stomach cramps, skin problems and pain in the gut. Ultimately, it can even make the sufferer unable to absorb nourishment from any food, thus leading to dangerous weight loss. Casein allergy can trigger an anaphylactic reaction in the body. This is a severe and rapidly occurring reaction that can have dire consequences.

Casein is found in varying ratios in the milk of every kind of mammal. If you are allergic to casein, you cannot have any product that contains milk or milk components. Remember, even half to one percent of the allergen may be enough to trigger an allergic reaction in you if that level is above your tolerance limit. So, you need to be aware of the smallest percentage of the ingredient in the food you take in. A casein test is done to determine whether a product contains casein or not.

Unfortunately, casein being tenuous (almost like glue when set) is not only found in food products. It is even used in the manufacture of glue and cosmetic products. Even the label on a bottle of beer may contain this glue. If you are allergic to casein, inhaling or touching it may be enough to trigger a reaction.