Evaluation of the potential benefits of a new pathway for integrating whey proteins into the cheese matrix

The integration of whey proteins into the cheese matrix in the form of denatured and microparticulated aggregates is a widely used practice to improve cheese yields. This allows for the valorization of all the main milk proteins into the cheese matrix while also increasing the protein retention and moisture of the final products. Traditionally, these proteins are purified from whey through ultrafiltration (UF) before being denatured/aggregated (and microparticulated). They are integrated into cheese milk at the standardization step. This strategy is effective but induces a significant risk of bacteriophage contamination and is subjected to multiples sources of variability (e.g. whey composition depends on the cheese made, milk standardization or cheese making issues).