Dairy Products

(click on image to enlarge)

Today USDA NASS released its "Dairy Products" report, which is available at: http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/usda/current/DairProd/DairProd-12-02-2010.pdf


Total cheese was up 3.5%. Whey is a by-product of cheesemaking. If cheese production increases whey production should increase proportionately. However,as can be seen above, whey production was down. What is going on?

Notice though, lactose production was way up. Traditionally, lactose was part of whey and taken from whey. But, ultrafiltration of milk which is used to bump up cheese yield. Lactose is a by product of ultrafiltration.

Not only is imported MPCs bumping up cheese yield , but also, ultrafiltration is contributing to cheese stocks.

As with MPCs, ultrafiltration produces an inferior product. Whey, minus the lactose is retained in the Ultrafiltered milk. Hence less whey.