Supplements are a big part of the health and fitness industry today. Having a balanced diet is not enough to build the six packs, that every body builder dreams of.
And not just body builders, people of all age benefit from a protein diet. It helps atheletes and sports enthusiasts and also is necessary for aging people who need more protein than carbohydrates in their diet.
Protein supplements can come in many forms, but the most popular one is the protein powder. Protein powder is nothing but highly processed protein in dehydrated form so that it can be later mixed with water or other liquids. The most common form protein powder comes in the form of whey protein. But what is whey protein made from, have you ever wondered?
Well, we will tell you how whey protein is made in large scales.
How Is Whey Protein Made
Here is a step by step process explained easily that will help you understand the whole process of manufacturing whey protein.
Step 1
Since it is a protein obtained from cow’s milk, no prizes for guessing where the whole process starts from: the dairy! Usually the best cows are chosen for milking. These cows are healthy, well-fed and it is ensured that the milk from these cows are organic and pesticide free.
Step 2
At this stage the milk might have some harmful bacteria. It is therefore essential for the milk to go through pasteurization. But before pasteurization, when it is cooled at 4 degree celcius, several bacteria are killed, but still some remain. After cooling the milk down it is ready for transportation and further processing.
Step 3
In the next step, tonnes of cooled down milk is transported in refrigerated tanks to protein making facilities. It is convenient if the protein making facility is near to the farm.
Step 4
At the protein making facility the milk goes through pasteurization . Louis Pasteur, came up with the process of pasteurization, that ensures all the harmful microbes are killed in the milk and it is ready for human consumption. The same reason, why we boil raw milk before drinking. Milk is boiled at the facility at 72 – 73 degree celcius. After pasteurization milk containes 20% whey protein and 80% casein protein.
Step 5
Now comes the most important step for making whey protein. External ingredients like some enzymes are used to start the cheese making procedure. The enzymes help casein separate from whey. Casein is used to make cheese. What actually happens is that the enzymes separates the liquid from the solid part of the milk. Our concern here is with that liquid part as it contains whey as well as some fats and carbohydrates.
Step 6
The obtained liquid containing whey is then sent for further processing. The liquid is made to go through micro filters to obtain high protein liquid whey.
Step 7
Whey containing liquid is then run through massive steel turbines with ceramic filters. This process gives Whey Protein Concentrate – WPC 70 or WPC 80.
Step 8
WPC is further ultrafiltered to make whey protein isolate. Making it one of the purest form of protein.
Step 9
Finally liquid high protein in either Whey Protein Concentrate form or Whey Protein Isolate form is put in a dryer. This dryer has both hot and cold air. It helps dry the water and also separates the solids from the liquid. Finally the end product is a powder containing 90% whey. The whole process ensures the nutritional value of protein is not lost.
Step 10
In the final step, whey protein powder is packed into containers and send to a facility where it can be re-evaluated for quality.
After being checked for quality the powder is mixed with special enzymes and flavours that enhances both taste and nutritional value. It is only then that they are packed into containers ready to be dispatched for sale.
So now you know, what exactly your whey protein is made of and how it reaches your table from the manufacturing units. The process is long and difficult. But it is important to check for hygiene and cleanliness.
Buying just about any whey protein powder available in the market might not give you the expected results. Because you don’t know if it is in its purest form or not. Hence, buy a product that has won the trust of consumers and guarantees genuine products.
Myfitfuel offers protein powder that has 100% whey in it. Check out the whole range of whey protein from Myfitfuel here. Myfitfuel Whey Protein 80 contains WPC 80 and has no added fillers or cheap amino acids, that often reduces the quality of the protein powder. The products from Myfitfuel goes through several quality checks, hence the customers get only the best product.
Have any questions about protein powder? All you have to do is leave us a comment here and we will get back to you.
