AID LACTOSE-INTOLERANT, RETAILERS URGED

RICHARD TURCSIK

WELLESLEY, Mass. -- Supermarkets can increase their grocery sales by creating programs that target lactose-intolerant shoppers, according to the author of a booklet listing lactose-free foods.

"Competition for lactose-intolerant consumers is increasing from alternative sources like health and natural food stores, which cater to the lactose-intolerant population and offer an alternative to supermarkets," said Peter Mirsky, president of Bullseye Information Services here.

"Supermarkets should give this significant, growing and increasingly aware market continued justification to think of the traditional supermarket as their primary source for many types of foods," he said.

Lactose is a milk sugar found in dairy products. Many individuals are lacking in the digestive enzyme lactase found in the small intestine that breaks lactose down into a more digestible form. Lactose-intolerant individuals often suffer from gas, diarrhea, bloating or cramps after eating dairy products or foods made with dairy products.

"Supermarkets could package information together, like I've done, and give it away or sell it to consumers, in some form or fashion. Then the lactose-intolerant consumer could identify, by holding some information piece, which products they should naturally gravitate toward. Otherwise they are going to have to wait for the manufacturers to be more prominent in labeling these products so that people can more readily identify them by sight, as opposed to having to pick up each product and read through the label in detail," he explained.

Supermarket nutritionists and dietitians contacted by SN said they occasionally address the lactose-intolerance problem.

"We have lactose-reduced milks and cheeses and for years we've had our own brand of soy frozen dessert called Dreamy Tofu. That is one thing that makes us unique. This product looks and feels like ice cream," said Janet Tenney, manager of nutrition programs at Giant Food, Landover, Md.

Tenney said Giant Food has occasionally published consumer awareness materials about lactose intolerance.

"We have a list of milk-free and dairy-free bakery products that we send out upon request because we produce our own bakery products. With bakery products it is less obvious [than other packaged grocery items] and you have to read every single label. Most of the milk, cheese and dessert products are now clearly labeled on the shelves," she said.

Layne Lieberman-Anapol, director of nutrition at King Kullen Grocery Co., Westbury, N.Y., said King Kullen addresses lactose through its nutrition hotline. At least once a year in its consumer newsletter, usually during National Dairy Month, the chain tries to educate its customers about the issue.

"There is a little bit of misconception because a lot of people think that if they have lactose intolerance they can't eat anything with lactose in it, and that is not the case. In many cases people can digest small quantities of milk and they can tolerate things like yogurt because the milk sugar is somewhat digested," she said.

Lieberman-Anapol said King Kullen offers many items that are lactose-reduced and lactose-free, especially in the dairy case.