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Allergy
There is a common belief that goat milk is a sound alternative for infants or children with cow milk protein allergy. This has resulted in the promotion of goat milk and goat milk products for relief of allergy. However, scientific studies show that goat milk is not always an effective substitute for cow milk in children who are already sensitised to cow milk protein and have a rapid onset, IgE-mediated reaction to cow milk proteins. Only extensively hydrolysed formulas should be used for the dietary management of infants with diagnosed cow milk protein allergy.1
There are several lines of evidence that the strength and type of the immune response to goat and cow milk might still differ. For example, children allergic to cow milk required nearly five times more goat milk to trigger an adverse reaction.2 In another study, 25% of children allergic to cow milk did not react to goat milk at all.3 Children with allergy to cow milk proteins had a lower response to goat milk containing low amounts of αs1-casein.4 Similarly, studies with animals have also shown that lower levels of αs1-casein in goat milk resulted in fewer allergic reactions.5
Further research will help to understand how people might respond differently to goat or cow milk. Until such studies have been completed, it is important that goat milk infant formula is not promoted as a remedy for infants with severe reactions to cow milk.
| 1 | AAP 2000; Koletzko et al, 2012 |
| 2 | Bellioni-Businco et al 1999 |
| 3 | Infante et al 2003 |
| 4 | Ballabio et al, 2011; Albenzio et al 2012; Lisson et al 2014 |
| 5 | Bevilacqua et al 2001; Hodgkinson et al 2012 |
Co-operation
We are a co-operative, owned by the farmers who supply goat milk. We believe in the enduring value of the co-operative model and our objective is to grow the wealth and security of our farmer shareholders, while at the same time providing consumers with a world-leading premium quality product.
Co-operative is also a word we use to describe our business style, which is built around sustainable and long-term relationships with our partners.
We believe that goat milk is the best base from which to make infant formula. It is not the cheapest, or the most commonly available, but we do believe it is the best.
We take our responsibility seriously to deliver safe and effective nutrition to infants and young children all around the world, and to deliver brands and products that parents trust.
Spray Drying
DGC’s spray drying plant has been designed specifically to process goat infant formula.
Spray drying is the process of removing water from the milk, producing the beginning of the fine powder that is eventually found in the finished product.
Our spray dryers are kept meticulously clean and the most recent, second spray dryer was built in 2015.
An infant goat milk formula made without palm oil
The fat content of formula must be modified to include several essential fatty acids. Many formulas are based on skim milk where the milk fat is replaced by vegetable oils, including palm oil.1
DGC has adopted an alternative approach, using whole goat milk to retain milk fat. Vegetable oils are still added to top up the essential unsaturated fatty acids in goat milk, but it is not necessary to use palm oil if milk fat is included in the formula.
Our research has also shown that there is also no need to use highly modified ingredients such as OPO.2
| 1 | Delplanque et al, 2015 |
| 2 | Prosser et al, 2010 |