Whey as a Biotechnological Resource: Current Trends and Future Directions

Whey is defined as the liquid released after milk coagulation for cheese production, being considered a byproduct and mostly discarded. Since whey contains a high organic content which could bring serious environmental problems if not properly discarded, the concern about its disposal has significantly grown in the past few years. Both caseins and whey proteins present multiple properties which have been widely studied in order to find other destinations than its disposal. Different whey proteins (i.e., β-lactoglobulin and α-lactalbumin) have been extremely researched and reported as having many biological activities, such as antihypertensive and antioxidant. Also, whey presents other biotechnological activities, such as gelling property and biogas production potential. The aim of this review is to discuss the biotechnological potential of whey proteins, such as food application and biological importance. This review highlights emerging opportunities for whey-based applications in sustainable health and industrial biotechnology.