What should I look for on a food label to avoid milk for a milk-restricted diet?

Foods, especially processed foods, can contain milk derivatives without actually containing milk itself. In the past, ingredients such as casein, caseinates, lactose, lactulose and whey could be included in an ingredient listing without a designation stating that these are all derived from milk. This changed when the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act went into effect Jan. 1, 2006. It requires that food labels declare the presence of milk in plain language in the ingredient list or by stating, "contains milk." This law simplifies label reading for those on a milk-restricted diet.

For those concerned about food allergens, the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network is an excellent Web resource.