Trends in utilization of whey and buttermilk-valuable by-products of the dairy industry

Abstract

Whey, as well as buttermilk, represents the main by-products of the dairy industry. They abound with high nutritional value, and their usage is increasingly present in modern men's daily consumption. Since their consumption is more represented in human nutrition, dairy industries put more effort into producing highly nutritional products with specific health benefits. Thanks to the nutritional value and composition of whey and buttermilk, there are many ways for their usage. The most common method of whey utilization is beverage production, whey cheese production, whey protein isolation, lactose production, and many others. Buttermilk is usually processed by fermentation with lactic acid bacteria or it is used for milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) and phospholipids isolation. This chapter highlights the need to increase the usage of whey and buttermilk-based products and presents current achievements focused on whey and buttermilk-based products and the isolation of high nutritional components for technological and functional usage.