Sodium Caseinate

Last reviewed October 19, 2026

In plain words: Sodium caseinate is the sodium salt of casein, the main protein in milk. It is used to emulsify, thicken and add protein, including in products that do not look like dairy foods.

What the evidence review says

Sodium caseinate is a milk protein used to thicken foods and add protein, including in products that don't look like dairy. It is a milk allergen. EFSA reviewed claims linking a casein-derived peptide with autism, heart disease and type 1 diabetes and found a cause-and-effect relationship was not established.

It is a milk protein and a milk allergen even when the food is not obviously a dairy food. In 2009 EFSA reviewed beta-casomorphin-7, a peptide that can be released from some beta-casein variants, and the claims linking it to autism, heart disease, and type 1 diabetes. EFSA found that a cause-and-effect relationship with those diseases was not established. A 1970s FDA committee also noted that alkali-treated casein can contain lysinoalanine and asked for food-grade limits on lysinoalanine, nitrite, and nitrosamines; at the intakes then current it did not find a consumer hazard.

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This page is for general education. It is not medical advice and does not replace advice from your doctor, pediatrician, allergist or registered dietitian. Research changes; we review these pages when new evidence or rules come out. Last reviewed October 19, 2026.