Russian Dry Milk Whey: Standards, Production and Export / Articles

Dry milk whey is a product obtained by removing water from cheese, curd or casein milk whey. In the food industry, it functions as a substitute for skimmed milk powder, a source of lactose and milk protein, and a technological agent that improves the texture, taste and nutritional value of products. For the B2B segment, dry whey matters as an ingredient with predictable physico-chemical characteristics that depend on the raw material source (cheese or curd) and the degree of demineralization.

Quality Standard: GOST 33958-2016

Requirements for dry milk whey in Russia and EAEU countries are established by GOST 33958-2016 "Dry milk whey. Specifications", put into effect by Rosstandart order No. 1879-st of 30 November 2016. The standard applies to dry milk whey obtained by removing water from cheese, curd and casein lactic acid whey, intended for use in the production of food products, whole milk substitutes and other feeds for agricultural animals.

By organoleptic characteristics, dry whey should be a fine powder or a powder consisting of individual and agglomerated particles. A slight amount of lumps that crumble under light mechanical action is allowed. Colour - from white to yellow, uniform throughout the mass. Taste and odour - characteristic of milk whey: for cheese whey - salty and sweetish, for curd and casein whey - sourish.

Key physico-chemical parameters under GOST 33958-2016:

Moisture mass fraction - not more than 5.0% for all types of whey.
Total protein mass fraction - not less than 10.0% for cheese and curd whey, not less than 8.0% for casein and lactic acid whey.
Lactose mass fraction - not less than 70.0% for cheese whey, not less than 61.0% for curd, casein and lactic acid whey.
Fat mass fraction - not more than 2.0%.
Titratable acidity - not more than 20 °T for cheese whey, not more than 70 °T for curd whey, not more than 90 °T for casein and lactic acid whey.
Solubility index - not more than 0.3 cm³ of raw sediment for cheese whey, not more than 0.5 cm³ for curd whey.
Active acidity (pH) - not less than 6.3 for cheese whey, 4.4 for curd whey, 3.7 for casein whey.
Purity group - not lower than II.
Maximum amorphous silicon dioxide content - not more than 10 g/kg.

The use of food additive amorphous silicon dioxide (E551) is permitted to improve the drying process and prevent product sticking to the inner surface of the drying chamber. Requirements ensuring the safety of dry whey are set out in sections 5.1.4 and 5.1.5 of the standard, quality requirements in sections 5.1.2 and 5.1.3, and labelling requirements in section 5.3.

For export supplies, quality must comply with the importing country's requirements, which in most cases are oriented towards Codex Alimentarius standards. Russian producers entering foreign markets ensure compliance with both Russian and international norms.

Demineralization: Degrees and Technological Differences

One of the key technological parameters of dry whey is the degree of demineralization - the removal of mineral salts (calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium) from the raw material. Demineralization is achieved by ion exchange, electrodialysis or ultrafiltration and determines the product's applicability in various segments.

Russia produces demineralized whey with a demineralization degree of 35, 50, 70 and 90%. The most demanded in baby nutrition is whey with 90% demineralization (D-90, "Demi-90" or DWP-90), since low mineral salt content is critical for electrolyte balance in infant products. Whey with 70% demineralization is used in dairy products, ice cream and processed cheeses, with 35-50% demineralization - in confectionery and bakery industries, as well as in feed production.

Demineralized whey differs from regular whey by lower ash content, titratable acidity and a more pleasant sweetish taste, which expands its application in products with sensitive formulations.

Russian Production: Volumes and Dynamics

According to Milknews and Soyuzmoloko, Russian dry milk whey production in January-November 2025 amounted to 210.7 thousand tonnes, 0.2% below the same period in 2024. Dry whey consumption in January-October 2025 decreased by 5.4% to 189.5 thousand tonnes. Against the backdrop of multidirectional production and demand dynamics, warehouse stocks changed significantly: the volume of dry milk whey residues at dairy processing enterprises increased by 73% to 16.1 thousand tonnes.

In January-February 2025, whey production (including dry) increased by 9.1% and amounted to 178.4 thousand tonnes, of which dry whey accounted for 36.9 thousand tonnes, 3.2% more than a year earlier. The decline in output in subsequent months is explained by seasonal fluctuations in the raw material base and the reorientation of part of the capacity to more marginal dry dairy products.

Largest producers and projects:

EcoNiva (Novosibirsk Oblast) - is building the "Siberian Academy of Dairy Sciences" plant in Maslyaninsky District, which will become the country's largest producer of dry demineralized whey with a demineralization degree of 90%. The enterprise will be able to process over 1.1 thousand tonnes of milk per day. The planned commissioning date is 2027, with a total project cost exceeding RUB 30 billion. Products are aimed at exports to China, Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
Molvest (Voronezh Oblast) - is implementing a project to expand dry dairy ingredient production at the Kalacheyevsky Cheese Plant worth RUB 8.5 billion. The additional volume of demineralized whey with a 90% demineralization level will amount to 4.3 thousand tonnes per year, whey protein concentrate - 2.2 thousand tonnes, permeate - 15.5 thousand tonnes. Molvest entered the dairy ingredients market in 2020 with investments of RUB 2.4 billion, and in December 2024 began producing micellar casein and whey protein isolate (90%).
Molzavod Novy (Republic of Adygea) - opened a workshop for the production of dry demineralized milk whey. The enterprise processes 150-200 tonnes of raw materials per day.
Protemol (Belgorod Oblast) - launched commissioning of a line for the production of dry dairy products, including drying of milk and milk whey, to obtain products with increased solubility and shelf life.
Glazov-Moloko (Udmurtia, MILCOM JSC) - produces dry cheese demineralized whey with a demineralization level of 70%.

In Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, the launch of production of dry protein components for import substitution in the breast milk substitute segment is planned for 2026; a production workshop has already been commissioned and installation of the drying unit and complex for the production of dry demineralized whey has been completed. In Moscow Oblast, the launch of a plant for the production of cheese and dry demineralized whey with investments of RUB 1.5 billion is planned for autumn 2026.

Applications in Food and Feed Production

Dry milk whey has a wide range of functional properties, making it in demand in various industries. It acts as a substitute for skimmed milk powder, a source of lactose and milk protein, an emulsifier and structure-forming agent.

Key application areas include:

Baby nutrition - dry demineralized whey with a 90% demineralization level is a critically important ingredient for the production of dry infant formulas and breast milk substitutes. Low mineral salt content ensures the electrolyte balance necessary for infants.
Dairy industry - production of whole dairy products, spreads, sour cream products, cottage cheese and curd products, yoghurts, ice cream, condensed milk, processed cheeses. Dry whey improves texture and increases nutritional value.
Confectionery industry - wafer sheets, biscuits, gingerbread, kissels, jellies, puddings, sweets, cakes. Whey gives products fluffiness, improves taste and reduces energy value.
Bakery industry - bakery and pasta products. Whey improves dough structure and increases the biological and nutritional value of the product.
Meat and fish industry - dry dairy ingredients are used in the manufacture of meat and fish products and grocery products.
Sports and clinical nutrition - whey is used in specialised products for athletes, the elderly and clinical nutrition.
Pharmaceutical industry - dry dairy ingredients are used in the production of medicines.
Feed production - dry whey is used to produce whole milk substitutes and other feeds for agricultural animals.

Dry whey is successfully used both as a substitute for skimmed milk powder and as a standalone product in the dairy, fat-and-oil, confectionery, bakery, meat industries and the sports nutrition industry.

Exports: Geography and Dynamics

Russian dry milk whey exports show steady positive dynamics, although absolute volumes are still small. According to Rosselkhoznadzor, from 1 January to 12 December 2025, 8 thousand tonnes of dairy products, including dry milk whey, milk cocktails, cheese and butter, were shipped from Udmurtia to China, Egypt, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Azerbaijan and Bangladesh. This is 25% more than in the same period of 2024.

Key supply destinations:

China - in December 2025, the shipment of 50 tonnes of dry milk whey to China was supervised. The Chinese direction is seen as strategic for Russian producers, especially given the launch of EcoNiva's project in Novosibirsk Oblast, aimed at exports to China and Southeast Asia.
Uzbekistan - in May 2025, a batch of dry demineralized whey with a total weight of 65 tonnes was exported from Oryol Oblast to the Republic of Uzbekistan. In the first 11 months of 2025, Oryol Oblast exported 338 tonnes of dairy products, significantly more than in all of 2024.
Tajikistan - Volgograd Oblast sent 65 tonnes of dry milk whey by rail in November 2025.
Egypt, Vietnam, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh - are among the export destinations for dairy products from Udmurtia.

Promising markets for Russian dry demineralized whey include China, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. The development of projects in Novosibirsk and Voronezh Oblasts will increase export potential through the growth of capacity for the production of 90% demineralized whey, which is not yet produced in Russia in the required volumes.

Logistics and Supply Conditions

Dry milk whey is supplied in 25 kg bags with polyethylene liners, multi-layer paper bags, cardboard drums and specialised containers. The product is hygroscopic, so transportation and storage require protection from moisture and compliance with temperature conditions. Optimal conditions are a dry, cool room with relative humidity not exceeding 75%, protected from direct sunlight.

The shelf life of dry milk whey in original packaging is, as a rule, 12 months from the date of manufacture, subject to storage conditions. For Russian producers supplying products from plants in Novosibirsk, Voronezh, Belgorod, Udmurtia and other regions, the key sales markets remain the Central, Volga and Siberian federal districts, where most processing capacity is concentrated.

Export supplies to China are carried out by rail and sea through Far Eastern ports and rail border crossings, to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan - by rail. Financial support for the transaction may include letters of credit, bank guarantees and cargo insurance. For long-term contracts, it is advisable to fix a mechanism for adjusting terms when raw material costs, logistics tariffs and exchange rate fluctuations change.

Prospects and Selection Factors

The Russian dry milk whey market is at a stage of active development, driven by import substitution projects in the baby nutrition segment and expanding export potential. Key success factors are the achievement of design capacity by new plants, quality stability (moisture, protein, lactose mass fractions, acidity, solubility index), compliance with GOST 33958-2016 and international standards, and cost competitiveness.

For buyers, not only price per kilogram matters but also the whey type (cheese, curd, casein), demineralization degree (35, 50, 70, 90%), protein and lactose mass fractions, acidity, solubility index, storage and packaging conditions, supply chain reputation, and availability of laboratory confirmation of compliance and a veterinary certificate for export batches. Understanding standards, technological differences and market structure helps reduce risks and build long-term contracts.

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