The production, composition and utilisation of whey

Abstract

Whey is the liquid which drains from the curd produced by the action of rennet on milk or from the curd formed by natural souring of milk or by the addition to milk of weak acids or other precipitants.The concentration of cheese-making at factories in recent years has resulted in the production of large quantities of whey at centres where adequate provision has not been made for its disposal. Part of it is consumed as pig food. The remainder is discharged into streams and sewers. This involves the destruction of large amounts of valuable food material. To prevent contamination, discharge into streams is now generally prohibited. Sometimes it is irrigated on to the land as manure. On the farm practically all the whey produced is consumed as pig food.