Lactose

Aside from whey powder itself, this carbohydrate is the most important whey product. It is produced in extremely pure form through the process of crystallisation, i.e. the whey is first concentrated and then chilled in a special tank. During the cooling process, a large share of the lactose is transformed into insoluble crystals. In this form it is then separated from the other substances which remain soluble.

Partly desugared Whey powder

When lactose becomes crystallised, the other substances in whey remain soluble. The lactose crystals are removed and the remaining solution is dried. This product is referred to as partly desugared whey powder. It has all the constituents of normal whey powder, only in different concentrations. The share of lactose in this powder has been reduced from over 80 percent to around 50 percent, while the other substances it contains are correspondingly enriched.

Demineralised whey powder

This powder is manufactured by removing a share of the minerals (salts) in whey powder. Its main constituents are lactose and whey protein, and it is widely used in baby foods and confectionery. The technical process of demineralisation is carried out by way of electrodialysis and/or ion exchange. The minerals which are separated out of the whey powder are not captured for further use, but are lost during the process.

Whey protein concentrate

Unlike the other substances contained in whey, whey protein is a macromolecule, a property which is taken advantage of during the concentration process for this substance. The whey is passed through a membrane filter (ultra-filtration) which, because of the structure of its pores, filters out the macromolecules while letting the water that contains the dissolved smaller molecules pass through. This process allows whey proteins to be separated from lactose, minerals and other components. Ultra-filtration produces two fractions – one on the side of the filter which retains the macromolecules (retentate) and one on the side of the filter to which the other substances have passed (permeate). The whey protein contained in the retentate is then concentrated, whereby the degree of desired concentration is adjustable on the ultra-filtration system. The highest degree of concentration which is technically possible is 85 percent protein to the solid mass. The final, protein-enriched, retentate is then further processed in a spray drying tower where it is dried to a powder. The permeate fraction can likewise be dried to make permeate powder.

Lactic minerals

The main constituent in lactic minerals is calcium phosphate, which can be precipitated from whey by setting a pH value and then separated using a centrifuge. The powder that is produced after drying contains high concentrations of organic-source (milk) calcium.