The Genetic Trap: How "Vegan" Milk is Triggering Severe Allergic Reactions

Israel’s Ministry of Health has issued a critical public safety warning regarding a new generation of "pareve" and "vegan" products entering the domestic market. While these items are not derived from animal sources, they contain a lab-grown milk protein that poses a severe threat to individuals with milk allergies. The emergence of precision-fermentation technology has allowed companies to create dairy-identical proteins without a single cow, but this scientific breakthrough carries a hidden cost for the allergic community. Health officials and allergy specialists are now concerned that the traditional "pareve" label, which has served as a safety beacon for kosher consumers for decades, may now lead to life-threatening misunderstandings in kitchens and restaurants across the country.

The Science of the "New Milk"

The primary cause for concern is a protein known as BLG (beta-lactoglobulin), which was recently approved for use in Israeli food manufacturing. This protein is the cornerstone of products like "Hachalav Hachadash," released by the Israeli startup Remilk. By copying the gene for milk protein and inserting it into yeast cells, the company uses a fermentation process to produce large quantities of protein that look, taste, and behave exactly like traditional dairy. While the process is 100 percent vegan and free of animal exploitation, the genetic copy is so accurate that it stimulates the exact same allergic response as milk derived from a cow.

The Ministry of Health stated that for individuals with a milk allergy, this is a milk allergen that may cause a severe, even life-threatening allergic reaction just like regular milk. The Israeli Association of Allergy and Clinical Immunology corroborated this, noting they had warned the ministry months ago about the risks of marketing these products as pareve or vegan. They noted that many patients rely on these labels as an absolute indication of safety, making the current terminology potentially misleading and dangerous, especially when used in baked goods or at kosher meat restaurants.

A Critical Distinction

Ori Cohavi, the Chief Technology Officer at Remilk, emphasized the necessity of distinguishing between lactose intolerance and milk allergies. In a recent interview, he clarified that while 70 percent of Israelis suffer from lactose intolerance and can safely consume the product, the 0.03 percent who suffer from actual milk allergies face a grave danger. "This is a very important point. The answer is no. Whoever has milk allergies definitely cannot consume Remilk," Cohavi explained. He added that the company is doing everything possible to make this distinction clear, including placing prominent warnings on the front of the packaging.

For the nearly 99 percent of the population without a milk allergy, these products represent a revolution in culinary flexibility. The new milk can be foamed, frothed, and used in high-heat baking just like cow’s milk, allowing for dairy-quality desserts and coffee in pareve settings. However, as these high-tech ingredients become more common, the medical community maintains that the "pareve" stamp can no longer be blindly trusted by those whose lives depend on the total absence of milk proteins.