For the food technologist brushing up on dairy ingredients, this primer on whey protein ingredients provides a good background to begin investigating the benefits whey protein can add to almost any formulation.
Whey ingredients are rich in proteins and also contain lactose, minerals, vitamins and traces of milkfat. To make whey protein concentrate (WPC), a protein-packed powder, some non-protein constituents are removed in the manufacturing process so that the end result contains 34% to 80% protein. Whey protein isolate (WPI), typically featuring 90% protein or more, is a powder that contains less than 1% lactose and fat.