Milk (Cow's Milk) | whatsinit

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Milk is a whole animal-derived food secreted by the mammary glands of cows, composed of water, lactose, casein and whey proteins, fat, calcium, and vitamins; it is used as a beverage and as a primary ingredient in baking, cooking, and the manufacture of dairy products. Its nutritional density makes it one of the most widely regulated and consumed food ingredients globally.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

Milk is broadly safe for the healthy general population and is approved/standardised in all major food regulatory jurisdictions with no established Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI), as it is a whole food rather than a food additive. However, the FDA and EU Regulation 1169/2011 each classify milk as a major allergen requiring mandatory label declaration; individuals with a true IgE-mediated milk allergy (most common in infants and young children) must strictly avoid it. A substantial proportion of the global adult population is also lactose-intolerant, experiencing gastrointestinal symptoms from milk's lactose content.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
FSANZ (Food Standards Australia New Zealand) (Australia)	Approved	Milk is regulated as a standardised food under the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. It is listed as a mandatory allergen requiring declaration on food labels under Standard 1.2.3.source
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Milk is a traditional food approved for consumption in the EU without restriction under food law. Under Annex II of Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on food information to consumers, milk and products thereof are listed as one of 14 major allergens requiring mandatory declaration on food and beverage labels. EFSA evaluates milk-derived novel ingredients (e.g., human-identical milk oligosaccharides, bovine whey isolates) under Regulation (EU) 2015/2283.source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Regulated under Chapter 2.1 (Dairy Products and Analogues) of the Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011. Standards specify composition, microbiological limits (pasteurised milk storage ≤8°C), contaminant limits under the FSS (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations 2011, and mandatory labelling for pre-packaged milk. Total urea content in milk shall not exceed 700 ppm.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Infants — Cow's milk is a leading cause of IgE-mediated food allergy in infants; the FDA designates milk as a major food allergen (FD&C Act Section 403(w)), and medical guidance recommends breast milk or appropriate formula for infants under 12 months rather than unmodified cow's milk.

Children — Milk allergy, the most common food allergy in early childhood, may persist beyond infancy; children with documented milk allergy must avoid milk and all milk-derived ingredients as required by FDA and EU allergen labelling regulations.

Lactose Intolerance — Milk contains approximately 4.7 g lactose per 100 mL; individuals deficient in lactase enzyme cannot digest lactose, resulting in gastrointestinal symptoms including bloating, flatulence, cramping, and diarrhoea.

Kidney Disease — Milk is naturally high in phosphorus and potassium, both of which must often be restricted in chronic kidney disease (CKD) to prevent hyperphosphataemia and hyperkalaemia; clinical dietary guidance for CKD typically limits dairy intake.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1FDA. Agency Response Letter GRAS Notice No. GRN 000633 — Milk-derived Ingredient Safety Review (21 CFR 184.1979). fda.gov
2FDA. Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act Section 403(w) — Major Food Allergen Declaration. fda.gov
3FSSAI. Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 — Chapter 2.1: Dairy Products and Analogues (Version 3, May 2025), 2025. fssai.gov.in
4PubMed. Trends in ingredients added to infant formula: FDA's experiences in the GRAS notification program, 2023. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
5other. Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council — Annex II: Substances or Products Causing Allergies or Intolerances, 2011. eur-lex.europa.eu

Independently researched5 citations