Whey was discovered about 3000 years ago. Apart from being valued as a medicinal agent in the 17th and 18th centuries, whey has primarily been considered a waste by the dairy industry, and thus destined for the 'cheapest gutter'. In the late 20th century, regulations prevented disposal of untreated whey. At the same time, recognition of the value of whey components accelerated. Modern science has unravelled the secrets of whey proteins and other components, and established a sound basis for their nutritional and functional value. In parallel, technology developments exploited this underpinning knowledge, manifested as advanced whey-processing regimes. These advances have continued through the early 21st century with the focus more on the biological functionality of whey components. Cost effectiveness has been a driver in recent whey-processing developments, manifested as novel separation techniques for a range of functional isolates. This paper traces the history of whey, and highlights milestones that have seen whey and whey proteins transformed from 'gutter-to-gold'.
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