Remember Little Miss Muffet? Most cheese makers would love to find a customer like her - someone who enjoys both curds and whey. Ultra-filtration of whey produces a dried product used in the food industry. Whey can be used to make cheeses (ricotta), protein supplements, fertilizers and stock/animal feed, food enhancers and lactoferrin (an isolate used in infant formulas.
Traditionally, whey was a by-product with a negative value from the cheese production but today sophisticated technology for manufacturing highly valuable whey derivatives has upped profitability from cheese production. High value-added whey derivatives are already important food ingredients for industries ranging from infant formula to medical foods. Whey is used in thousands of food and drink products. For example, Cadbury Creme Eggs, Oreo Cookies, Nutella, KFC Coleslaw, MacDonalds Big Mac and Bailey's Original Irish Cream all contain whey. All fresh fruit and vegitables and unprocessed meat and seafood are whey-free. See the list of product that contain whey.