Dive Brief:
- Development of a global Codex standard for whey permeate could significantly increase the demand for the ingredient, especially in Asia, predicts Arla Food Ingredients. The standard could come as early as 2016.
- Whey permeate is a by-product of whey manufacturing, produced by removing protein and other solids from whey using ultrafiltration and/or diafiltration. This low-cost, carbohydrate ingredient can be used as a bulk sweetener in snacks, chocolate, confectionery, ice cream, desserts, beverages, and bakery products. However, many countries, including China, don't allow permeate in food and beverage products due to the lack of a global standard.
- Arla, one of the dairy companies working to develop the new standard, has made significant investments in manufacturing high quality food-grade permeate. The company's permeate production facility in Denmark manufactures kosher and halal-certified whey permeate.
Dive Insight:
According to Arla, whey permeate can replace more expensive milk solids without changing a food's taste and texture or needing processing changes.
In the U.S., permeate is a GRAS ingredient, although its current food uses are limited, and most of the permeate produced in North America is used in animal feed. Permeate may appear on food labels as deproteinized whey, dairy product solids, modified whey, reduced protein whey, or permeate.
