•may improve heat stability of products that have poor heat stability (e.g. goat’s milk) at low levels of removal. Higher levels of removal may further reduce heat stability;•prevents coagulation of milk by rennet;•increases strength of acid-induced gels with low levels of removal, but decreases gel strength with higher levels of removal;•inhibits age gelation when removal is by SHMP, but may accelerate age gelation when removal is by citrate or EDTA;•increases heat stability of milk protein concentrate;•increases heat stability of skim milk concentrate;•may reduce foam stability of milk, but the literature is conflicting; and•enables formation of iron–milk protein complexes.