Posted by For my project, I tested the glucose in whole cow’s milk and lactose-free whole milk. I started
with a controlled agent by testing the cow’s milk with a glucose test strip. The cow’s milk had a negative
reaction since there was a high content of lactose and no lactase in the cow’s milk. Then, one Lactaid
tablet was added to the cow’s milk to test the glucose. A second tablet was added to see the final
results. Mimicking a lactose-intolerant person’s consumption of cow’s milk in one hour. Lactose is the
natural sugar in cow’s milk. A simple sugar compound molecule of glucose and galactose. Lactaid is a
lactase enzyme supplement that lactose-intolerant people use when the body doesn’t naturally produce
enough lactase, which are the enzymes needed to digest milk sugars in lactose. Lactose intolerance in
the small intestine is a condition that is characterized by indigestion caused by dairy products when
absorptive cells in the small intestine do not produce enough lactase. In short, lactase breaks down
lactose and turns lactose into glucose and galactose. I found that in my research, the best way to
mitigate lactose-intolerance symptoms is to digest lactose-free produce as Lactaid only breaks down
half of the lactose than pre-cured lactose-free products. Lactose-free products can help lactose
intolerance from bacterial fermentation and the build-up of gases in the colon.
Reference Cited
Sensoy, Ilkay. “A Review on the Food Digestion in the Digestive Tract and the Used in Vitro Models.”
Current research in food science, April 14, 2021. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8134715/.
“Your Digestive System & How It Works – Niddk.” National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney
Diseases. Accessed July 19, 2024. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/digestive-
system-how-it-works
Daniel L. Swagerty, Jr., Anne D. Walling, and Robert M. Klein. “Lactose Intolerance.” American Family
Physician, May 1, 2002. https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2002/0501/p1845.html
Debra Spielmaker, Administrator and Yasuko Mitsuoka Grow. “Lactose Lab: Some Don’t Like It Sweet.”
National Agriculture in the Classroom. Accessed August 1, 2024. https://agclassroom.org/matrix/lesson/269/.
Milk makes me sick: Chemistry & life science activity | exploratorium teacher institute project. Accessed
August 1, 2024. https://www.exploratorium.edu/snacks/milk-makes-me-sick.
U.S.Dairy. “What Is Lactose Intolerance? Find Lactose Intolerance Facts Here.” What is Lactose
Intolerance? | U.S. Dairy, February 2, 2018. https://www.usdairy.com/news-articles/lactose-intolerance-facts
Melanie’s STEAM Project dove into the varying glucose levels in whole cow’s milk and lactose-free whole milk which tested the effectiveness of over the counter lactase supplements such as Lactaid. Lactose is the natural sugar found in cow’s milk, which Melanie tested these glucose levels by using glucose test strips. Melanie also dove into what exactly is lactose intolerance, which is when a body does not produce enough lactase, which aids the body in digesting lactose. I found this project to be very interesting as she found that Lactaid, the most common lactase enzyme supplement, only proved to be half effective compared to that of a lactose free product, such as lactose free whole milk. Overall, I thought this was a super cool project which definitely had shocking results as I thought Lactaid was a cure-all, but Melanie proved me wrong!