Dairy & Eggs
Whey Protein 80% in gelato
Whey Protein Concentrate 80% (WPC80) is a spray-dried dairy powder containing about 80% protein, produced by ultrafiltration of sweet cheese whey. In gelato it acts as a concentrated milk-solids-not-fat and protein source that boosts body, water-binding and emulsification without adding much lactose or sweetness.
Balancing parameters
Per 100 g of product, verified against independent food-science sources (listed below).
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Solids | 95.5% |
| Water | 4.5% |
| Sugars | 5.5% |
| Fat | 7% |
| MSNF | 83% |
| Protein | 80% |
| POD (sweetening power) | 0.9 |
| PAC (anti-freezing power) | 13 |
Typical use: 0-3% of the total mix, most commonly 1-2%.
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Open the balancerHow to use it in gelato
WPC80 is used to raise protein and milk-solids-not-fat, improving creaminess, overrun stability, water-binding and meltdown resistance, and it is valuable in low-fat or high-protein formulas. Its POD is negligible (lactose is only ~16% as sweet as sucrose and there is little of it), so it does not meaningfully sweeten. Its PAC is modest and comes from lactose (coefficient ~100 dry basis) plus whey's mineral-rich ash, which adds colligative freezing-point depression. Because WPC80 carries far less lactose than skim milk powder, it lets you boost protein and structure while limiting lactose load and the risk of sandiness from lactose crystallization.
Origin & background
Whey was for centuries a low-value by-product of cheese and casein manufacture, largely discarded or fed to livestock. The commercialization of membrane ultrafiltration in the 1970s made it possible to selectively concentrate whey proteins, and industry standards (USDA and the American Dairy Products Institute) now define whey protein concentrates as ultrafiltered products with protein contents ranging from roughly 34% to 89% on a dry basis.