Whey protein
Whey protein is one of the markers Open Food Facts uses to classify a food as ultra-processed (NOVA group 4).
What it is and why it counts
Whey protein is concentrated from whey, the liquid left over from cheese making.
Substances rarely used in home kitchens
These are extracted from foods or derived from them industrially: refined sugars made from starch, isolated proteins and fibres, modified starches and oils. NOVA calls them "substances of no or rare culinary use", the other defining sign of an ultra-processed food.
Where it turns up
Whey protein appears in 5 of the 40,000 products on this site (0%).
