Overview

Whey ingredients have a relatively short history. Just a generation ago, the whey that was produced during  the cheesemaking process was considered a waste product. Today, it is regarded as a valuable co-product of cheesemaking.

Whey is refined at the plant into a valuable ingredient with many uses in foods, beverages and animal feed. Advances in technology and investments in research and development have enabled the U.S. whey industry to expand its product line from basic commodities to a variety of higher valued products, including whey protein concentrates, isolates and fractions. The U.S. continues to innovate, while at the same time focusing on finding new uses and new markets for these value-added ingredients.

World's Largest Whey-Producing Country

More than one quarter of the world's whey and lactose products—1.1 million metric tons per year—is manufactured at some 200 whey plants throughout the United States. With one of the world's largest cheese industries, an abundance of land, and investments in research & development and technology, the U.S. whey industry is capable of unrestrained growth to meet consumer demand.

U.S. whey processors take the fluid, sweet whey collected during cheesemaking and further process it into whey powder, reduced-lactose whey, demineralized or reduced-mineral whey, whey protein concentrate (WPC) or whey protein isolate (WPI). During this further processing, lactose is extracted from the whey as well. New bioactive whey fractions, such as lactoferrin and lactoperoxidase are now also available commercially.

A number of different techniques—including ultrafiltration, crystallization, precipitation and reverse osmosis, among others—are used to create whey products to the exact specifications of the end-user. U.S. whey manufacturers can produce literally hundreds of different whey products to meet varying protein levels, mineral contents, lactose contents, functional properties and other specifications.

Cutting-Edge Technology and Innovation

The U.S. is a leader in the technological development and usage of whey proteins. Advances in technology and investments in research and development have enabled the U.S. whey industry to expand its product line by developing newer and more applicable whey products.

Customized Products for Specific Needs

U.S. suppliers specialize in tailoring their products to their buyers’ specifications. The latest in plant technology allows suppliers to vary the protein, mineral and fat levels in their products so they can offer products with protein levels of less than 12% to greater than 90%, and mineral levels between 1% and 28%. Modified whey products with enhanced functional and nutritional characteristics are also widely available and often customized for optimal performance.

World's Strictest Quality Standards

Product safety is the key to protecting consumer health. The U.S. whey industry adheres to strict production practices, which ensure that all users of U.S. whey products obtain a safe, high-quality and nutritious product. U.S. whey products abide by rigorous quality control standards that have been developed in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. All products are tested and evaluated to ensure that they not only meet U.S. government standards, but also the requirements of the end-user. By adhering to the strictest sanitary and quality standards in the world, the U.S. whey industry can guarantee that all end-users receive the highest quality product.

A Growing Export-Oriented Industry

The U.S. is the top whey supplier in a large number of countries where the food and beverage manufacturing sector is dynamic and innovative. In fact, whey exports have grown steadily from 246,000 metric tons in 2005, to 374,000 metric tons in 2009. The U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) and the U.S. whey industry are equipped for today’s fast-paced business, focused on the future and willing to serve overseas customers as their partners in trade.

U.S. Whey Exports (metric tons)