THE WHEY OF THE CURD

Whey is the liquid part of the milk that separates from the curd during cheese making. Whey is used to make ricotta cheese, as an additive in other food ,baking and pastry products, and as pet food.

If you make cheese and don’t produce ricotta, so you end up with a whey with a pH of 6.2/6.3, you can safely store it right away in the fridge even for 8-10 days, without any kind of problem. Its acidification will take place very, very slowly but in any case the whey will always be edible.

Contains lactose (50-75% of the dry fraction), proteins (about 8-14% of the dry fraction), mineral salts (6-8%) and traces of lipids, as well as lactose degradation products (lactic acid, glucose, galactose) in variable proportions depending on the cheese making process. Whey is also an excellent source of protein. Whey proteins can be present in different concentrations and are particularly rich in branched chain amino acids.

USE OF WHEY IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY

Whey has a very large area of use in the food industry. Although it is not widely known in our country, many alcoholic and soft drinks are made using whey. Since whey proteins are able to maintain the structure and humidity within the limits of acid stability and to increase the emulsifying and foaming properties, they are used in the production of products of the confectionery industry, such as cakes and chocolate.

Due to their emulsifying capacity and their high stability, whey proteins are used in the production of products such as cream, mayonnaise, cream cheese spreads, sauces for meat and salads. Furthermore, thanks to the high gelling properties, whey proteins are used as stabilizers in creamy soups, meat sauces and other similar foods.

Due to their property of binding with water, whey concentrates are used for the development of structure in Quark, Cottage and processed cheeses, to increase the yield in Cheddar, to obtain a more viscous product during production of yogurt. Whey proteins are also used in the meat industry, thanks to their ability to retain water, form a stable emulsion and keep the fat stable. Whey powder is used in meat products such as sausages, salami and some sauces.

BAKE WITH WHEY

The whey can also be used in baking. For its emulsifying properties. they allow to obtain a bread with a high volume, improve the gluten mesh ensuring a good seal and limiting the phenomenon of relaxation of the dough. It should be used in combination with a leavening agent to partially or totally replace water.

It should be used in combination with a leavening agent to partially or totally replace water.

• Semi-wholemeal bread
• Sourdough Bread