Whey protein|HTS Code

Whey protein harmonized system code

Product Overview Whey protein under HTS 0404.10 is defined as the liquid or dried fraction remaining after the manufacture of cheese or casein, and modified wheys derived therefrom, whether or not concentrated or containing added sugar or other sweetening matter. Key characteristics include physical state (liquid whey: ~86–90% moisture; powder: moisture typically <5% w/w), protein content on a dry basis (sweet/acid liquid whey nominally 12–15% protein; whey protein concentrate (WPC) typically 25–80% protein; whey protein isolate (WPI) ≥90% protein), ash/mineral content (variable; demineralized grades <5% ash), fat (<1–5% depending on grade), lactose content (trace to >70% in permeates), pH range (acid whey 4.3–4.6; sweet whey 5.6–6.8). Processing grades include native whey, ultrafiltered concentrates, ion‑exchange isolates, hydrolysates, demineralized powders and permeates; unit operations include pasteurization, membrane filtration, diafiltration and spray drying. Commercial end‑uses: food & beverage formulation, sports nutrition, infant and clinical nutrition, bakery and confectionery binders, pharmaceutical excipients, animal feed and fermentation media. Trade professionals recognize lot traceability, Certificate of Analysis (CoA), allergen declaration, and GMP/HACCP provenance as standard quality attributes. HTS Code Classification & Trade Specifications Complete 6‑digit HTS structure: Chapter 04 — Dairy produce; Heading 0404 — Whey and modified whey; Subheading 0404.10 — Whey and modified whey, whether or not concentrated or containing added sugar or other sweetening matter (HTSUS 0404.10). Classification rationale: product composition (derived from milk by separation, containing protein, lactose and minerals) and processing state (liquid or concentrated/dried) align with the Chapter 04 definitions and the 0404 heading specificity for whey products. Trade considerations: common commercial packaging includes 25 kg multi‑wall paper bags with polyethylene lining, 500–1000 kg flexible intermediate bulk containers (FIBCs), 1 MT bulk bags, drum/tote for liquid whey, and tanker transport for refrigerated liquids; powders require moisture‑controlled storage (relative humidity <65%, temperature typically <25 °C), desiccant or nitrogen blanketing for extended shelf life (12–24 months depending on grade). Shipping requirements and documentation: commercial invoice, packing list, sanitary/health certificate where required, CoA (protein %, moisture %, ash %, microbiology), FDA Prior Notice, country‑of‑origin marking, and adherence to FSMA, Codex and buyer microbiological limits (e.g., Salmonella absence per 25 g, defined aerobic plate counts). Quality standards are verified by AOAC methods for protein (Kjeldahl/Dumas), moisture, ash and specified microbiological assays; certifications such as GMP, HACCP, BRC or IFS are commonly requested by importers.

Whey protein Chapter Note

1.- The expression “milk” means full cream milk or partially or completely skimmed milk. 2.- For the purposes of heading 04.03, yogurt may be concentrated or flavoured and may contain added sugar or other sweetening matter, fruit, nuts, cocoa, chocolate, spices, coffee or coffee extracts, plants, parts of plants, cereals or bakers’ wares, provided that any added substance is not used for the purpose of replacing, in whole or in part, any milk constituent, and the product retains the essential character of yogurt. 3.- For the purposes of heading 04.05 : (a) The term “butter” means natural butter, whey butter or recombined butter (fresh, salted or rancid, including canned butter) derived exclusively from milk, with a milkfat content of 80 % or more but not more than 95 % by weight, a maximum milk solids-not-fat content of 2 % by weight and a maximum water content of 16 % by weight. Butter does not contain added emulsifiers, but may contain sodium chloride, food colours, neutralising salts and cultures of harmless lactic-acidproducing bacteria. (b) The expression “dairy spreads” means a spreadable emulsion of the water-in-oil type, containing milkfat as the only fat in the product, with a milkfat content of 39 % or more but less than 80 % by weight. 4.- Products obtained by the concentration of whey and with the addition of milk or milkfat are to be classified as cheese in heading 04.06 provided that they have the three following characteristics : (a) a milkfat content, by weight of the dry matter, of 5 % or more; (b) a dry matter content, by weight, of at least 70 % but not exceeding 85 %; and (c) they are moulded or capable of being moulded. 5.- This Chapter does not cover : (a) Non-living insects, unfit for human consumption (heading 05.11); (b) Products obtained from whey, containing by weight more than 95 % lactose, expressed as anhydrous lactose calculated on the dry matter (heading 17.02); (c) Products obtained from milk by replacing one or more of its natural constituents (for example, butyric fats) by another substance (for example, oleic fats) (heading 19.01 or 21.06); or (d) Albumins (including concentrates of two or more whey proteins, containing by weight more than 80 % whey proteins, calculated on the dry matter) (heading 35.02) or globulins (heading 35.04). 6.- For the purposes of heading 04.10, the term “insects” means edible non-living insects, whole or in parts, fresh, chilled, frozen, dried, smoked, salted or in brine, as well as flours and meals of insects, fit for human consumption. However, it does not cover edible non-living insects otherwise prepared or preserved (generally Section IV).