The Dairy

Updated May 2023! You asked, and we’ve delivered. This post includes a full guide to dairy-free deli meat, along with quick details on any potential dairy issues from each major brand. But to start, I have answers to some top lunch meat FAQs.

As always, this post is for informational purposes only. The details were provided by the companies, but ingredients and processes are subject to change at any time. And all products are at some degree of risk for potential cross-contamination with allergens. Only you can decide what is safe for your needs.

It seems simple doesn't it? Meat should contain, well, meat. But our food industry is far from simple. And yes, lunch and deli meat does sometimes contain milk-based ingredients. Below I address this question in more detail and other concerns that emerge from the answer.

Milk can be in anything, and lunch meat is no exception. Various forms of whey or casein are used in some meats, and we occasionally see straight up cheese or dry milk powder in processed meats. Lactic acid starter culture is a common ingredient in certain types of deli meats that can sometimes be derived from dairy, but it isn't always. In fact, dairy-free sourced lactic acid starter culture is becoming more widely used in food manufacturing.

To be clear, lactic acid starter culture is bacteria, not dairy. It is grown on a medium, which can be dairy, but often isn't. In theory, the bacteria is fully removed from the medium before being used in the product, and shouldn't contain the medium, but it could contain traces. For some people, this risk of trace dairy isn't a concern, while for others it is. Keep in mind, all products are some degree of risk for potential cross contamination with allergens. Only you can decide what is safe for your needs.

These might sound like dairy, but they are very rarely derived from milk. In fact, in North America, I’ve yet to see a product that contained a dairy-derived lactic acid, lactate, or lactylate. See our Dairy Ingredient List for a full explanation of these types of ingredients.

The FDA has allergen labeling regulations, but meats are regulated by the USDA, not the FDA. The USDA provides guidance, with recommendations that fall in line with the FDA allergen labeling laws. Consequently, most meat-packing companies do declare top allergens on the packaging. But it is voluntary for them, so some choose not to, and mistakes are more common. A lot of companies we spoke with felt that listing the ingredients was enough of an allergen disclaimer, but this doesn't address vague ingredients.

Pre-packaged non-dairy meats are always a safer option than freshly-sliced deli meats, since more potential cross-contamination can occur in that environment. Every layer of food handling adds another layer of risk. But there are some ways to mitigate some of the risk.

There are literally thousands of deli and lunchmeat products on the market, and MOST are dairy-free by ingredients. So rather than list each item, we have obtained general information from each brand. The brands are listed alphabetically for quick reference. But in all cases, always verify the ingredients of each product for your needs before buying. This is a general guide to help you locate the best options, but as mentioned, ingredients, product offerings, and practices can change. If you receive contrary information, please kindly comment.

You’ll find this brand more regionally, since it's a kosher glatt butcher out of New York. All of their meats, including deli and lunch meats, are made without dairy.

This is a kosher producer, so all of their deli meats and salami products are made without dairy.

All of their deli meats, including their salami and pepperoni products, are dairy-free and gluten-free.

From Smithfield, the parent company of this brand: "Dairy is a Big "8" allergen and is not present in the product. If you see lactic acid starter culture or potassium lactate as an ingredient, it is not a dairy derivative. This is true for all our brands. We assure our customers that any product received from our facilities is allergen free unless an ingredient containing allergen is clearly noted in the ingredient text on our package labels." At last check, their deli meats, pepperoni, and salami products did not have a contains statement for milk.

According to the company, their lunchmeats do not contain any dairy-based ingredients. This includes sliced and shaved meats, bologna, and salami.

This company is very clear about allergens, and all of their deli meats and lunch meats are dairy-free, except the Mortadella. Per the company, the lactic acid starter culture that they use in some of their meats is dairy-free. Boar's Head does have a milk-free listing on their site, which is great, but it isn't complete. Some products weren't tagged for that section, which are actually milk-free.

They make pepperoni and salami, which are dairy-free by ingredients. The company confirmed that their lactic acid starter culture is not derived from milk.

The company states, "There is no milk, and no dairy in the products." They even say that their pre-packaged cheeses and salad dressings are packaged by an outside supplier, not in their meat facility.

According to the company, they do use "contains" statements for any allergens present. And at last check, all of their turkey and ham lunch and deli meats were made without milk.

From Smithfield, the parent company of this brand: "Dairy is a Big "8" allergen and is not present in the product. If you see lactic acid starter culture or potassium lactate as an ingredient, it is not a dairy derivative. This is true for all our brands. We assure our customers that any product received from our facilities is allergen free unless an ingredient containing allergen is clearly noted in the ingredient text on our package labels." Most of their salami and pepperoni products are made without dairy. They do have a couple items, like Mortadella, where milk is clearly labeled.

The company states, "Our lunchmeat does not have any ingredients containing milk."

This is a Welshire brand, so they are very clear on allergens. They do use lactic acid starter culture, but disclaim it as dairy-free. At last check, none of their salami, pepperoni, or other Italian meat products contained milk.

Most varieties of Columbus salami, sold in stores, do contain milk. At last check, their other deli meats, which are common at deli counters, were made without any milk ingredients. You can ask to see the packaging, as Columbus states that they do disclaim allergens.

Most of their deli meats are made without milk. However, some of their turkey and chicken deli meats do contain milk. It is clear on the packaging, but the meats without milk look similar to the ones with milk. On the bright side, the company did confirm that the lactic acid starter culture used in their salami and pepperoni products is not derived from milk.

This is a Hormel company. It took a lot of teeth pulling, but their customer service finally let me know that they do label milk, so there shouldn't be any "hidden" milk in their ingredients. They also confirmed that the lactic acid starter culture used in some of their products is not derived from dairy.

Their lunch and deli meat products are made without milk or gluten, and have very simple, "clean" ingredient lists.

From Smithfield, the parent company of this brand: "Dairy is a Big "8" allergen and is not present in the product. If you see lactic acid starter culture or potassium lactate as an ingredient, it is not a dairy derivative. This is true for all our brands. We assure our customers that any product received from our facilities is allergen free unless an ingredient containing allergen is clearly noted in the ingredient text on our package labels."

This is a kosher poultry company, so all of their turkey and chicken deli meat is made without any dairy.

From Smithfield, the parent company of this brand: "Dairy is a Big "8" allergen and is not present in the product. If you see lactic acid starter culture or potassium lactate as an ingredient, it is not a dairy derivative. This is true for all our brands. We assure our customers that any product received from our facilities is allergen free unless an ingredient containing allergen is clearly noted in the ingredient text on our package labels."

From Smithfield, the parent company of this brand: "Dairy is a Big "8" allergen and is not present in the product. If you see lactic acid starter culture or potassium lactate as an ingredient, it is not a dairy derivative. This is true for all our brands. We assure our customers that any product received from our facilities is allergen free unless an ingredient containing allergen is clearly noted in the ingredient text on our package labels."

I have inquired multiple times with this company's deli meat, and still have not received a response. Use caution with this brand if any ingredients look questionable for dairy.

They make Italian salami and pepperoni products. We are still awaiting confirmation on their ingredient sources.

Their deli and lunch meats do not appear to use any dairy-based ingredients, but they do use a lot of processed ingredients. Nevertheless, according to the company, they do label for allergens. "We label the presence of the nine major allergens: peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, soybeans, wheat, fish, sesame, and shellfish on all products. Allergens from these major categories, if present are listed immediately following the Ingredient Statement."

They make Italian meats like salami and pepperoni. They do use lactic acid starter culture, and we are still waiting on a response to its source.

Though they tout most of their meats as lactose-free, this Canadian company does make some products with cheese in them, and we are waiting to hear back on the source of their lactic acid starter culture. They do have a "may contain milk" warning on most of their salamis. We’ve been told in the past that their other deli meats are made without dairy, but are confirming this again.

All of their Salame varieties do contain milk. Their pepperoni does contain lactic acid starter culture, but according to their parent company, Tyson, it is not grown on dairy. "We following a strict truth in labeling policy so you can trust our labels. Our lactic acid starter is not derived from animal sources including dairy"

They do disclose top allergens, and at last check, their deli meats were all made without milk.

At last check, Target's house brand does not use milk ingredients or lactic acid starter culture, and they are clear about the natural flavor sources.

This kosher company doesn't mix milk or meat, so their deli meats and salami are made without dairy ingredients.

This salami company does use lactic acid starter culture. We are still awaiting a response on the source of this ingredient.

From Smithfield, the parent company of this bologna brand: "Dairy is a Big "8" allergen and is not present in the product. If you see lactic acid starter culture or potassium lactate as an ingredient, it is not a dairy derivative. This is true for all our brands. We assure our customers that any product received from our facilities is allergen free unless an ingredient containing allergen is clearly noted in the ingredient text on our package labels."

From Smithfield, the parent company of this deli and lunchmeat brand: "Dairy is a Big "8" allergen and is not present in the product. If you see lactic acid starter culture or potassium lactate as an ingredient, it is not a dairy derivative. This is true for all our brands. We assure our customers that any product received from our facilities is allergen free unless an ingredient containing allergen is clearly noted in the ingredient text on our package labels."

Yes, this popular kosher hot dog brand makes some deli meats, too. Per kosher law, they do not mix milk and meat, so all of their deli meats are made without dairy.

This Tyson company promises truth in labeling. "The top eight allergens required by the FDA (dairy, tree nuts, peanuts, eggs, soy, wheat, fish and shellfish) will always be listed in the "contains" section of the packaging. If we ever change the ingredients in our products, the changes would be reflected on the label." And according to Tyson, they use a lactic acid starter that is not derived from dairy.

According to the company, there are "No Big 9 Allergens Present" in their pepperoni, which is made with lactic acid starter culture. any of their deli meats, including the pepperoni and salami, which are made with lactic acid starter culture.

According to the company, there are "No Big 9 Allergens Present" in any of their deli meats, including the pepperoni and salami, which are made with lactic acid starter culture. We couldn't get a statement from them on the deli meats that they sell through deli counters, but they did state that any top allergens would be declared. If ordering a sandwich using Hormel, ask to see the label.

Their deli meat line is primarily sold through food service, like deli counters. This is a Hormel company, and they told us milk "would be called out in the ingredients list for any of our products if it contained it." We did not see any products under this brand where milk was called out. You can ask to see the label at the deli counter.

From Smithfield, the parent company of this lunchmeat brand: "Dairy is a Big "8" allergen and is not present in the product. If you see lactic acid starter culture or potassium lactate as an ingredient, it is not a dairy derivative. This is true for all our brands. We assure our customers that any product received from our facilities is allergen free unless an ingredient containing allergen is clearly noted in the ingredient text on our package labels."

From Smithfield, the parent company of this lunchmeat brand: "Dairy is a Big "8" allergen and is not present in the product. If you see lactic acid starter culture or potassium lactate as an ingredient, it is not a dairy derivative. This is true for all our brands. We assure our customers that any product received from our facilities is allergen free unless an ingredient containing allergen is clearly noted in the ingredient text on our package labels." At last check, their ham products didn't appear to contain any milk ingredients.

From Smithfield, the parent company of this brand: "Dairy is a Big "8" allergen and is not present in the product. If you see lactic acid starter culture or potassium lactate as an ingredient, it is not a dairy derivative. This is true for all our brands. We assure our customers that any product received from our facilities is allergen free unless an ingredient containing allergen is clearly noted in the ingredient text on our package labels."

According to the company, "None of our lunchmeats contain dairy. The lactic acid starter culture does not contain dairy."

They make pepperoni for pizzas. From Smithfield, the parent company of this brand: "Dairy is a Big "8" allergen and is not present in the product. If you see lactic acid starter culture or potassium lactate as an ingredient, it is not a dairy derivative. This is true for all our brands. We assure our customers that any product received from our facilities is allergen free unless an ingredient containing allergen is clearly noted in the ingredient text on our package labels."

This Canadian company actually has a post up addressing potential allergens in meats. They state "our entire product line if free of gluten, dairy and soy, and their derivatives."

This is a kosher meat company. Kosher laws prevent the mixing of milk and meat, so according to the company, their products are all made without dairy-derived ingredients.

According to the company, "The lactic acid starter culture is corn derived. The only products with dairy are the Fat Tire Spicy Cheddar sausages, Apple Gouda sausages, Fearless Franks and select snack packs which contain cheese."

Their organic deli meat is clearly touted as dairy-free and suitable for a variety of dietary concerns.

Their deli meat line is kosher glatt, and made without any milk-based ingredients per kosher dietary laws.

According to the company's allergen information, on request, the Italian Dry Salami is the only meat product that contains milk. The other salami and pepperoni products are reportedly made without milk.

Their deli meats use the simplest ingredients, with just meat, salt, and water. So they are dairy-free by ingredients. Their summer sausage and pepperoni do contain lactic acid starter culture, but the company confirmed that it is dairy-free. "The lactic acid starter in our meat products has a glucose carrier or medium. It is often derived from turbinado sugar from cane or the sugars from corn. The lactic acid starter is dairy free."

This company does typically disclaim top allergens (either in the ingredients or a contains statement). We haven't seen any deli meat products from them that disclaim milk, but we also haven't received a response from the company on their lactic acid starter culture.

Their deli meats are sold via deli counters. We haven't been able to get ingredients or a response from the Sara Lee brand specifically. But according to their parent company, Tyson, "We following a strict truth in labeling policy so you can trust our labels. Our lactic acid starter is not derived from animal sources including dairy" You can ask at the deli counter to verify the ingredient label.

From Smithfield: "Dairy is a Big "8" allergen and is not present in the product. If you see lactic acid starter culture or potassium lactate as an ingredient, it is not a dairy derivative. This is true for all our brands. We assure our customers that any product received from our facilities is allergen free unless an ingredient containing allergen is clearly noted in the ingredient text on our package labels."

They do use lactic acid starter culture in their Italian meats, but according to the company, this is not dairy-derived. They state, "All Sugardale products are gluten free and free of the Big-8 allergenic foods, including milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soybean."

This company is over-the-top clear about top allergens, and even less common allergens, like corn, garlic, and mustard. At last check, all products, except for their pork liverwurst, were made without any milk ingredients. Their salami does contain lactic acid starter culture, but they state that it is not dairy derived.

Of course, vegan deli and lunch "meats" can be a great option if you prefer. Here's a quick list of brands that provide vegan slices for sandwiches, pizza, and more.