HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — A local dairy farm is taking strides to provide more milk options for students who are lactose intolerant.
M&B Dairy provides milk to dozens of school districts throughout Florida, so this will be a game changer for students with allergies.
After years of testing, M&B said they plan to supply flavored lactose-free milk to schools this fall.
“Making sure that we're producing a product that is suitable for all those that what to enjoy milk," Andrea McClellan, general manager at M&B, said.
For years, students who were lactose intolerant have had one dairy-based milk option during school lunch.
“We’ve had lactose-free milk for probably five years. Kids don’t want it because they don’t want white milk," Dale McClellan, president of M&B, said.
He explained young students want flavored milk with their school lunches.
That hasn't been an option for students who are lactose intolerant until now.
“We’re hopeful that next school year, we’ll have strawberry lactose-free milk available in all of the Florida districts that we serve."
They serve 32 districts; that's 72% of students in Florida.
M&B recently tested its chocolate lactose-free milk in Hillsborough and Citrus county schools. Andrea said 65 out of 65 students preferred that to their current product.
That is why they plan to make strawberry lactose-free milk permanent in schools this fall.
As for nutritional facts, Dale said their lactose-free milk is actually lower in sugar, but other than that, they say nutritional value remains the same.
Andrea and Dale acknowledged that there are other plant-based milk options for people who are lactose intolerant, but they say their product is less expensive and made locally.
“We want to make sure we are doing our part to be part of the solution, to have an option available that checks all of those boxes. It has a small ingredient list, it tastes great, and it’s affordable,” Andrea said.
