Abstract: Whey protein has some functional characteristics and biological activeness, and has been applied in food industry more and more wide. Functional characteristics could be improved markedly by modification, such as heat stability, heat gelation, emulsification etc. Protein denaturation could influence the characteristics of whey protein, and the effect of components in milk and circumstances on denaturation was discussed. Whey protein has well market foreground in food industry because of the utilization on edible membrane, milk checkout, protein purification and so on.

Key words: whey protein； &alpha, -lactoalbumin； &beta, -lactoglobulin； characteristics； utilization；