Whole milk powder
Whole milk powder suppliers and sourcing guide
Whole milk powder is pasteurized whole milk with the water removed, usually by evaporation and spray drying, keeping the milk fat, protein, lactose and minerals in their original proportions. It can also be made by blending skim milk and cream components to the same composition. Brands use it in milk chocolate, confections, bakery, drink mixes and recombined dairy, where its milk fat gives flavor and body.
- Category
- Food staples and powders
- Also known as
- Dry whole milk · WMP · Full cream milk powder · Dried whole milk
- Facts checked
- November 2026
Forms and grades of whole milk powder
Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.
Regular spray-dried
Standard powder at about 26 to 28% milk fat, sold in 25 kg bags and totes.
Instant
Agglomerated, often lecithinated powder that wets and dissolves easily in water.
High-heat and roller-dried
Higher-heat or roller-dried powders with more cooked or caramel notes, valued in milk chocolate.
Fortified
Powders with added vitamins A and D.
Organic and grass-fed
Powders from certified organic or grass-fed herds.
What to check on the COA
Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.
- Milkfat
- Milk fat by Roese-Gottlieb or similar method; the US standard requires 26 to under 40 percent.
- Moisture
- Moisture by oven drying, usually under about 3.5%.
- Free fat and peroxide value
- Free fat and peroxide value, which show how well the fat is protected against oxidation and rancidity.
- Solubility and scorched particles
- Solubility index and scorched particle disc rating.
- Titratable acidity
- Titratable acidity as lactic acid.
- Microbiology
- Standard plate count, coliforms, Salmonella and, where specified, Listeria and spore counts.
Storage, lots and expiry
Storage and shelf life
Whole milk powder oxidizes and goes stale or rancid faster than skim powder, so buy it in nitrogen-flushed or barrier bags and store cool (below about 20 to 25 °C), dry and away from light and odors. Use opened bags quickly. Shelf life is set by the supplier, often 9 to 18 months, and older stock should be checked for flavor and peroxide value before use.
Lots and expiry dates
Fat, flavor and heat treatment vary between plants and seasons, so record fat, moisture and production date for each lot and taste it before use in flavor-led products. Use stock in production-date order because flavor declines with age.
Regulatory status
Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.
21 CFR 131.147 defines dry whole milk as the product obtained by removing water only from pasteurized milk, which may have been homogenized.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)Under 21 CFR 131.147, dry whole milk contains at least 26 percent but less than 40 percent milkfat and not more than 5 percent moisture on a milk solids not fat basis.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)21 CFR 131.147 makes the addition of vitamins A and D optional.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)21 CFR 101.4(b)(4) allows dry whole milk to be declared in an ingredient list as "milk".
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)
This is general information, not regulatory advice. Status differs by country and by how the ingredient is used, so check the rules for your product and market.
Whole milk powder suppliers
Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.
We are checking whole milk powder suppliers now
Every listing is checked against the supplier’s own website before it goes live, so this list fills in over the coming weeks. The specs and COA checklist above are ready today.
Sell whole milk powder? Request a listingFrequently asked questions
What forms of whole milk powder can brands buy?
Common forms include regular spray-dried, instant, high-heat and roller-dried, fortified and organic and grass-fed. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.
What should the COA for whole milk powder include?
Expect milkfat, moisture, free fat and peroxide value, solubility and scorched particles, titratable acidity and microbiology, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.
How should whole milk powder be stored?
Whole milk powder oxidizes and goes stale or rancid faster than skim powder, so buy it in nitrogen-flushed or barrier bags and store cool (below about 20 to 25 °C), dry and away from light and odors. Use opened bags quickly. Shelf life is set by the supplier, often 9 to 18 months, and older stock should be checked for flavor and peroxide value before use.
What is the regulatory status of whole milk powder?
21 CFR 131.147 defines dry whole milk as the product obtained by removing water only from pasteurized milk, which may have been homogenized. Under 21 CFR 131.147, dry whole milk contains at least 26 percent but less than 40 percent milkfat and not more than 5 percent moisture on a milk solids not fat basis. 21 CFR 131.147 makes the addition of vitamins A and D optional. 21 CFR 101.4(b)(4) allows dry whole milk to be declared in an ingredient list as "milk".
More food staples and powders
- Cocoa powderCocoa · Cacao powder
- Chocolate liquorCocoa liquor · Cocoa mass
- Cocoa nibsCacao nibs · Cracked cocoa
- Roasted coffeeCoffea arabica · Coffea canephora
- Instant coffeeSoluble coffee · Instant coffee powder
- MatchaMatcha green tea powder · Powdered green tea
- Black teaCamellia sinensis · Thea sinensis
- Nonfat dry milkNFDM · Skim milk powder
- Sweet whey powderDry sweet whey · Dried whey
- Buttermilk powderDry buttermilk · Dried sweet cream buttermilk
- Dried whole eggDried eggs · Whole egg powder
- Coconut milk powderCoconut cream powder · Spray-dried coconut milk
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