Potential Transmission of Foot-and-Mouth Disease in Whey Constituents1

Abstract

Whey and whey constituents were prepared from the milk of cows infected with foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) virus. The virus was detected in the sweet whey by-product of Cheddar and Camembert cheese but was not detected in the acid whey by-product of casein manufacture. Whey constituents, α-lactalbumin, β-lactoglobulin, and lactose, produced from sweet whey were noninfectious when inoculated into cattle. These products do not appear as likely candidates for the transmission of FMD.