Information for patients, parents and carers
This page is for children and young people with cow’s milk allergy who are known to tolerate baked milk (e.g. in biscuits, muffins or cakes). This applies to children and young people who have been having baked milk in their diet with no problems or who have tolerated baked milk in a hospital food challenge, despite being allergic to other forms of cow’s milk and dairy. Please note that the word ‘milk’ means ‘cow’s milk’ in this page.
If you or your child has successfully completed the baked milk challenge with no allergic symptoms in the two days after the challenge, we advise you to introduce baked milk into the diet regularly (at least twice a week) following the advice in this page.
If you or your child has other food allergies, please make sure these allergens are not in the baked products they eat.
Which foods are you or your child likely to be able to have without reacting?
| Foods that are likely to be tolerated by children who can tolerate baked milk | Foods which may cause an allergic reaction, even if baked milk is tolerated |
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Products containing baked milk in which the milk has been mixed with flour (and possibly other ingredients) and baked in the oven at a minimum of 180°C for at least 20-30 minutes. Cakes/biscuits/muffins that contain butter/milk/milk protein (but not cheese/chocolate chunks)
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Products containing milk that have not been sufficiently processed or cooked. • Animal milk other than cow’s milk such as goat, sheep and buffalo • Milk-containing foods that are cooked but not baked e.g. pancakes, French toast, flapjacks, rice pudding, custard, or heated milk • Cheese and milk containing dishes such as lasagne, macaroni chess, cheesecake • Soups and sauces containing milk • Homemade Yorkshire puddings • Snacks containing or coated with chocolate, milk powder or cheese powder e.g. some crackers, crisps, cheese twists) • Baked products containing yoghurt or cheese • Chocolate chips in baked goods • Breads (e.g. naan, garlic bread, milk bread) • Confectionery (e.g. fudge, toffee, butterscotch, Indian sweets |
These lists are for guidance – they aren’t a complete list of all of the baked milk containing products you can find.
More information on choosing suitable foods containing baked milk
The Allergy Team can help guide you on which new foods to try for you or your child. In general, the amount of baked milk likely to be tolerated relates to the amount eaten at the oral food challenge. For shop-bought baked products (e.g. bread, biscuits, muffins, cakes) if milk is the first or second ingredient on the list it might contain a larger amount. This means that you should avoid baked products with milk listed as the first or second ingredient in the list, unless the Allergy Team has told you otherwise.
When you bake at home it is important to make sure that the baked food has a dry crumb texture inside. You can test your baked food by inserting a clean skewer into the centre and checking that it comes out clean. It is also a good idea to cut into your baked food item and check it’s cooked thoroughly.
Hillingdon Paediatric Allergy Team
- Telephone: 01895 279 721
- Email thh-tr.paedallergy@nhs.net
- Please note our service runs Monday-Friday 9am-5pm.
With special thanks to Imperial College Health Care Trust
Document adapted from Paediatric allergy, Reference no: 5273