Nutrients 2015, 7, 7312-7331; doi:10.3390/nu7095340 OPEN ACCESS nutrients ISSN 2072-6643 www.mdpi.com/journal/nutrients Review The Interrelationships between Lactose Intolerance and the Modern Dairy Industry: Global Perspectives in Evolutional and Historical Backgrounds Nissim Silanikove 1,*, Gabriel Leitner 2 and Uzi Merin 3 1 Biology of Lactation Laboratory, Institute of Animal Science, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, P.O. Box 6, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel 2 National Mastitis Reference Center, Kimron Veterinary Institute, P.O. Box 12, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel; E-Mail:
[email protected] 3 Department of Food Quality and Safety, Agricultural Research Organization, The Volcani Center, P.O. Box 6, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel; E-Mail:
[email protected] * Author to whom correspondence should be addressed; E-Mail:
[email protected]; Tel.: +972-8948-4436; Fax: +972-8947-5075. Received: 24 June 2015 / Accepted: 26 August 2015 / Published: 31 August 2015 Abstract: Humans learned to exploit ruminants as a source of milk about 10,000 years ago. Since then, the use of domesticated ruminants as a source of milk and dairy products has expanded until today when the dairy industry has become one of the largest sectors in the modern food industry, including the spread at the present time to countries such as China and Japan. This review analyzes the reasons for this expansion and flourishing. As reviewed in detail, milk has numerous nutritional advantages, most important being almost an irreplaceable source of dietary calcium, hence justifying the effort required to increase its consumption. On the other hand, widespread lactose intolerance among the adult population is a considerable drawback to dairy-based foods consumption.