Whey and products consisting of natural milk constituents; whether or not containing added sugar or other sweetening matter, not elsewhere specified or included

HS v2022 Code: 0404

About whey and products consisting of natural milk constituents; whether or not containing added sugar or other sweetening matter, not elsewhere specified or included

HS code 0404 covers a diverse range of dairy products derived from whey, a byproduct of cheese and casein production. Whey is a nutrient-rich liquid that remains after the coagulation and straining of milk during cheesemaking. The products under this code play a crucial role in the global dairy industry, providing valuable ingredients for a wide array of food and beverage applications, as well as animal feed. As consumer demand for nutritious and sustainable dairy products continues to grow, the whey-based industry has become an increasingly important component of the broader agricultural and food processing sectors.

Production process

The production of whey-based products typically begins with the separation of whey from the curd during cheese or casein manufacturing. The whey is then subjected to various processing techniques, such as concentration, drying, and fractionation, to extract and purify the desired milk constituents. These may include lactose, whey proteins, and other valuable components. Depending on the specific product, additional steps like pasteurization, fermentation, or the addition of sweeteners may be employed to achieve the desired characteristics.

Production inputs

The primary input for the whey-based products industry is, of course, the whey itself, which is obtained as a byproduct from the production of 0406 Cheese and curd and 3501 Casein, caseinates and other casein derivatives; casein glues. Other key inputs include processing equipment, such as evaporators, spray dryers, and fractionation systems, as well as various additives, such as sugars or flavorings, depending on the final product. The industry also relies on a steady supply of energy, water, and skilled labor to maintain efficient and sustainable production.

Production outputs

The products covered under HS code 0404 include a wide range of whey-based ingredients and preparations, such as whey powder, whey protein concentrates and isolates, lactose, and various whey-containing food and beverage products. These outputs are widely used as ingredients in the manufacturing of 1901 Malt extract; food preparations of flour, groats, meal, starch or malt extract, not containing cocoa or containing less than 40% by weight of cocoa calculated on a totally defatted basis, not elsewhere specified or included; food preparations of goods of headings 0401 to 0404, not containing cocoa or containing less than 5% by weight of cocoa calculated on a totally defatted basis, not elsewhere specified or included, 2106 Food preparations not elsewhere specified or included, and 2309 Preparations of a kind used in animal feeding.

Family tree for whey and products consisting of natural milk constituents; whether or not containing added sugar or other sweetening matter, not elsewhere specified or included

    graph LR
    A["<a href='/classifications/hs/v2022/04'>04: Dairy produce; birds' eggs; natural honey; edible products of animal origin, not elsewhere specified or included</a>"]
A --> B["<a href='/classifications/hs/v2022/0404'>0404: Whey and products consisting of natural milk constituents; whether or not containing added sugar or other sweetening matter, not elsewhere specified or included</a>"]

    A --> C["<a href='/classifications/hs/v2022/0401'>0401: Milk and cream; not concentrated, not containing added sugar or other sweetening matter</a>"]
A --> D["<a href='/classifications/hs/v2022/0402'>0402: Milk and cream; concentrated or containing added sugar or other sweetening matter</a>"]
A --> E["<a href='/classifications/hs/v2022/0403'>0403: Yogurt; buttermilk, curdled milk and cream, kephir and other fermented or acidified milk and cream, whether or not concentrated or containing added sugar or other sweetening matter or flavoured or containing added fruit, nuts or cocoa.</a>"]
A --> F["<a href='/classifications/hs/v2022/0405'>0405: Butter and other fats and oils derived from milk; dairy spreads</a>"]
A --> G["<a href='/classifications/hs/v2022/0406'>0406: Cheese and curd</a>"]
A --> H["<a href='/classifications/hs/v2022/0407'>0407: Birds' eggs, in shell; fresh, preserved or cooked</a>"]
A --> I["<a href='/classifications/hs/v2022/0408'>0408: Birds' eggs, not in shell; egg yolks, fresh, dried, cooked by steaming or boiling in water, moulded, frozen or otherwise preserved, whether or not containing added sugar or other sweetening matter</a>"]
A --> J["<a href='/classifications/hs/v2022/0409'>0409: Honey; natural</a>"]
A --> K["<a href='/classifications/hs/v2022/0410'>0410: Animal products; insects and other edible products of animal origin, not elsewhere specified or included</a>"]

    B --> L["<a href='/classifications/hs/v2022/040410'>040410: Dairy produce; whey, whether or not concentrated or containing added sugar or other sweetening matter</a>"]
B --> M["<a href='/classifications/hs/v2022/040490'>040490: Dairy produce; natural milk constituents (excluding whey), whether or not containing added sugar or other sweetening matter, n.e.c. in chapter 04</a>"]


    %% Color coordination by level

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    classDef level2 color:#000,fill:#e0a458,stroke:#333,stroke-width:1px
    classDef level3 color:#000,fill:#419d78,stroke:#333,stroke-width:1px
    classDef level4 color:#000,fill:#c04abc,stroke:#333,stroke-width:1px
    classDef level5 color:#000,fill:#f1c40f,stroke:#333,stroke-width:1px
    classDef level6 color:#000,fill:#f1c40f,stroke:#333,stroke-width:1px
    classDef highlight color:#000,fill:#fff,stroke:#000,stroke-width:5px



  %% Apply classes
  class A level2
class B level4
class C level4
class D level4
class E level4
class F level4
class G level4
class H level4
class I level4
class J level4
class K level4
class L level6
class M level6

  class B highlight

  %% class A level1
  %% class B,C level2
  %% class D,E,F,G,H,I level2
  %% class J,K,L,M,N,O,P level3
  %% class B highlight