The hidden value of whey

Whey was once considered waste but has since become a valuable raw material based on research and technological development in the dairy industry. The introduction of membrane filtration technology in the 1960s led to new applications.

Why was whey discarded?

Whey was treated as waste because its potential had been ignored. In the 1960s, the nutritional value of whey became known as processing capacities grew and new business models emerged for the dairy industry.

Today, whey-derived ingredients show the fastest market growth of any dairy ingredient. Its market value was $53.8 billion in 2019, a figure that is expected to grow to $81.4 billion in 2025.

The future of whey

The dairy industry is making significant progress in reducing its ecological footprint through sustainable practices. Industry leaders are dedicated feeding our communities while reducing the impacts of dairy on the environment. Through collaboration and goal setting, North American dairy leaders have made major commitments that include net-zero emissions by 2050.

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References:

P. Tsermoula, B. Khakimov, J.H. Nielsen, S.B. Engelsen. WHEY - the waste-stream that became more valuable than the food product. Trends Food Sci. Technol., 118 (2021), pp. 230-241