Food and beverage manufacturers are boosting the protein content of products to tap into the growing health and wellness trend. Many food and beverage manufacturers use whey proteins as the protein source of choice for product innovation. The dairy industry has the potential to expand usage of these ingredients by creating new formulation possibilities through improvements in whey quality (such as flavor, aroma and astringency) and performance (such as thermal stability).

Opportunities include, for example, increased use levels in current products (such as bars, beverages, etc.) and expanded use into new products.  Dairy permeate availability throughout the world is accelerating, fundamentally as a result of growth in dairy processing activities. Manufacturers are seeking commercial solutions to expand product offerings, applications and utility of derivatives from whey and dairy permeates. 

The Research and Insights Product Research subcommittee of the Innovation Center, USDEC and other industry partners continue to emphasize the need for technical advancements in whey quality and performance and new uses for dairy co-products.

Dairy Research Institute has focused on opportunities for food and beverage manufacturers and dairy processors to leverage whey protein found in dairy to help meet these needs.