Whey

Whey or milk plasma is the liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained; it is a by-product of the manufacture of cheese or casein and has several commercial uses. Whey is used to produce ricotta and gjetost cheeses and is used to make many other products for human consumption and as an animal feed.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The whey protein separated from this mixture is often sold as a nutritional supplement. In addition, liquid whey contains lactose, vitamins, and minerals along with traces of fat. Researchers at Lund University in Sweden discovered that whey appears to stimulate insulin release. Writing in the American Journal of Clinical Nutritionhttp://www.ajcn.org/cgi/content/abstract/82/1/69?maxtoshow=&HITS=10&hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&fulltext=whey&searchid=1122565758802_6050&stored_search=&FIRSTINDEX=0&sortspec=relevance&journalcode=ajcn they also discovered that whey supplements can help regulate spikes in blood sugar levels among people with type 2 diabetes.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

As the most commonly used curdling agent is rennet, neither whey, curd, nor cheese automatically qualify as vegetarian foods. Vegetarians generally use vegetable-source rennet or lemon juice (or pure citric acid or sulphuric acid) to separate milk into curds and whey.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Milk: Milk most often means the nutrient fluid produced by the mammary glands of female mammals. It provides the primary source of nutrition for newborns before they are able to digest more diverse foods. It is also processed into dairy products such as cream, butter, yoghurt, ice-cream, gelato, cheese,...

Curd: Curd is a dairy product obtained by curdling (coagulating) milk with rennet or an edible acidic substance such as lemon juice or vinegar and then draining off the liquid portion (called whey). The increased acidity causes the milk proteins (casein) to tangle into solid masses, or "curds"....

By-product: A by-product is a secondary or incidental product deriving from a manufacturing process or chemical reaction, and is not the primary product or service being produced. A by-product can be useful and marketable, or it can have severe ecological consequences....