Yes, Whey Protein Powder Contains Milk

I read a surprising recall today that I fear may cause some confusion, “Publix Brand GreenWise Vanilla and Chocolate Whey Protein Powders because of undeclared milk.” I suppose because whey is a byproduct of milk rather than a clear dairy product (ie butter, cream, buttermilk), then they must have a “contains milk” statement, which some of their lots did not. However, whey protein powders in North America are derived from cow’s milk in general. Here is a quick definition of whey protein powder and whey from Wikipedia:

“Whey protein is a mixture of globular proteins isolated from whey, the liquid material created as a by-product of cheese production. Whey is left over when milk coagulates, and contains everything that is soluble from milk. It is a 5 percent solution of lactose in water, with some minerals and lactalbumin. It is removed after cheese is processed. The fat is removed and then is processed for human foods.”

With that clarified, here is the information on the recall:

“Publix Brand GreenWise Vanilla and Chocolate Whey Protein Powders because of undeclared milk. People allergic to milk run the risk of a serious or possibly life-threatening reaction if they consume the products. No illnesses have been reported.

The recalled products from manufacturer Arizona Nutritional Supplements of Chandler, Ariz., were:

• GreenWise Vanilla Whey Protein Powder, 15.5-ounce size, with an expiration date of 05/2012, a UPC code of 41415-54977, and lots numbers of 906022, 906023, 906024, 906025.
• GreenWise Chocolate Whey Protein Powder, 13-ounce size, with an expiration date of 06/2012, a UPC code of 41415-55077, and lots numbers of 905036, 905037, 905038, 905039.

The products were distributed throughout the Publix food store chain and include stores in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama and Tennessee. Consumers with questions may contact Publix by phone at 1-800-242-1227 or online at http://www.publix.com/.”