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What is whey and when is it separated from cheese curds?

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Whey is the watery, liquid fraction that remains after milk undergoes curdling. It consists primarily of a 5 percent solution of lactose in water, along with minerals and the protein lactalbumin.21

During the production of cheese, this liquid is separated from the solid curd once the milk has coagulated. Following this separation, the whey is typically centrifuged to remove remaining fat and may be concentrated or dried for use in food applications, such as baking, candy production, or as animal feed.21