watery fraction that forms along with curd when milk coagulates. It contains the water-soluble constituents of milk and is essentially a 5 percent solution of lactose in water, with some minerals and lactalbumin.

The whey is removed from the curd during the process of making cheese; then it is centrifuged to remove fat, concentrated or dried, and used for human food in processed cheese products, baking, and candy making. Whey is used for animal feed as a liquid, concentrate, or dry powder.