Low-lactose products and their evaluation

At the last time, we can see increased interest of lactose-free dairy products. The aim of the thesis was to evaluate offer of such products at selected retail chains in the South Bohemian region, then to conclude a sensory assessment of selected products and to verify of public awareness about lactose intolerance with a questionnaire survey. The widest offer of lactose-free dairy products has been found in Globus and Tesco, in the opposite the lowest offer has been found in Billa. Location of these products within the store was most the transparent in Globus (compared other stores). Three samples of white lactose free yoghurts and two samples of milk (with lactose and lactose-free) were evaluated by a sensory assessment. The sample of yoghurt from the company Madeta, line Nature was rated the best. On the contrary sample of yoghurt from the company Tatranská mliekáreň, line Nature´s Promise was rated the worst. The preference between two milk samples among the evaluators was balanced, despite large to moderate differences of intensity were described between them. Most respondents (79 %) knew what the term lactose intolerance means, but substantial part (22 %) of respondents badly indicated this the issue as allergy to milk casein. Because of high number of lactose-intolerant people in population this issue is still very actual, and it needs to be addressed