Whey protein

About

Whey protein is the group of water soluble milk proteins, chiefly alpha-lactalbumin, beta-lactoglobulin, serum albumin and immunoglobulins, that stays in solution when the caseins coagulate; it has no E number, and in food it is used to raise protein content and to foam, gel and bind water.^[1] It is recovered from the whey left over by cheesemaking, normally by membrane filtration that removes lactose, fats and minerals before spray drying, and it is sold in large volumes as a protein supplement.^[1]

Whey protein is about a fifth of the protein in cow milk, and milk protein concentrate keeps it alongside casein in that same ratio of roughly 80:20; microfiltration shifts the ratio the other way, towards 82:18 to 95:5, and gives micellar casein products instead.^[2] Because it comes from milk, whey protein is vegetarian but not vegan, and it is a milk allergen. This page was created as the target of the composition rows on the milk protein concentrate page; the individual whey fractions and the hydrolysed and isolate grades are not described here yet.

Products (4)

ProductCategoryBarcode

KitKat 2 Finger 21 × 20.7 g Nestlé · 434.7 g Chocolate and Chocolate/Sugar Candy Combinations - Confectionery 7613035219489 KitKat Chunky 40 g Nestlé · 40 g Chocolate and Chocolate/Sugar Candy Combinations - Confectionery 7613037051230 Mars Duo 78.8 g Mars · 78.8 g Chocolate and Chocolate/Sugar Candy Combinations - Confectionery 5000159519328 Mars Snacksize Mars · 304.2 g Chocolate and Chocolate/Sugar Candy Combinations - Confectionery 5000159521406

Relations

• Derived from Whey^[1] sourced
  Recovered from the whey left by cheesemaking, usually by membrane filtration
• Is a kind of Milk protein^[1] sourced
  The water soluble milk proteins, as against the caseins
• Not to be confused with Whey protein concentrate^[1] sourced
  The dried concentrate sold as an ingredient

Referenced by

• Contained in Milk protein concentrate sourced
  Roughly one fifth of the protein, as in milk

References

1. ↑ Wikipedia: Whey protein, on its composition, its recovery from whey and its use as a supplement Wikipedia. publication. Accessed 2026-09-20. cc-by-sa-4.0. Wikipedia contributors.
2. ↑ American Dairy Products Institute: Concentrated Milk Proteins Standard v2.1, with the casein to whey protein ratio of milk and of microfiltered products American Dairy Products Institute. publication. Published 2023-10-05. Accessed 2026-09-20. Standard v2.1, effective 5 October 2023.