10046690Processing of Innovative A2 milk/milkshakes for distributionClosedGrant for R&DInnovate UKThe assumption that is commonly made is that someone who experiences digestive symptoms after consuming dairy products they are lactose intolerant and informed to alter their eating to abide with a low-dairy or dairy-free diet. However, this is not always the case. Milk allergies are caused by the proteins in the dairy products and as such A1 Protein intolerance can often be misdiagnosed as lactose intolerance as the symptoms are similar. However, the key difference is that milk allergies (A1 protein intolerance) usually appear within the first year of life while lactose intolerance typically appears much later. (A2 Milk Nutrition, 2021) The Parlour Annalong have identified this and the owner who is also a dairy farmer has bred cows only containing the A2 protein for the past 8 years. As a result of this, the milk that the Parlour purchases from the farm contains only A2 protein and is therefore suitable for those that have an A1 intolerance. The project is to source funding to purchase the equipment necessary to process the milk purchased from the farm into drinkable milk/milkshakes suitable for distribution to shops as well as for sales in The Parlour's café. This enables the local community and visitors to avail of this if they are A1 protein intolerant while they visit the Parlours café. As well as this, the grocery shops and newsagents that the Parlour plan to distribute to will spread the product diversely across Northern Ireland and as such the product reach will not just be limited to the café and surrounding shops in that area.