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project - EIP-AGRI Operational Group

VALACTICAT: pilot project for the valorisation of whey in Catalan food industries
VALACTICAT: proyecto piloto para la valorización del serum láctico en industrias alimentarias catalanas

Contacts
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Completed | 2019 - 2021 Spain
Completed | 2019 - 2021 Spain
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Objectives

The objectives are as follows:

- Characterise the nutritional composition of the whey from various sources produced on the premises of the companires in the consortium

- Study and optimise the basic operations for managin whey, and recover the fractions of interest to the food insdustry

- Evaluate the nutritional, structural and sensory properties of the fractions obtained from the whey fractional procecesses

- Study how the fractions recovered from the whey can be integrated into food products currently on the market or into the production of innovative whey products.

- Evaluate the technical and economical feasibility of implementing optimised processes on an industrial scale

Objectives

Los objectivos son:

  • Caracterizar la composición nutricional de los sueros de los diferentes orígenes que se generan en las industrias de las empresas del consorcio.
  • Estudiar y optimizar las operaciones básicas para gestionar el suero y recuperar fracciones de interés alimentario
  • Evaluar las propiedades nutricionales, estructurales y sensoriales de las fracciones obtenidas 
  • Estudiar la integración de las fracciones que se recuperen del suero en productos alimentarios de comercialización vigente o en la generación de nuevos productos innovadores.
  • Evaluar la viabilidad técnica y económica de implementar los procesos optimizados a escala industrial.

Activities

- Study the variability in the composition of whey.
- Assess the viability of the recovery process of the various recoverable fractions.
- Study the feasibility of the incorporation and valorisation of the fractions obtained from the company's own products.
- Evaluate the use of combinations of the different fractions obtained with other ingredients, to attempt to undertake a complete valorisation of the fractions which could help to find the appropriate dosage that maintains the characteristic properties of the product currently sold in the market.
- Study of the valorisation of whey by fermentation processes, and its impact.

Activities

  • Estudiar la variabilidad en la composición del suero.
  • Valorar la viabilidad del proceso de recuperación de las diferentes fracciones valorizables.
  • Estudiar la viabilidad de la incorporación y valorización de las fracciones obtenidas en los propios productos de la empresa.
  • Evaluar el uso de combinaciones de las diferentes fracciones obtenidas con otros ingredientes para intentar hacer una valorización completa de las fracciones al mismo tiempo que encontrar la dosificación adecuada que permita mantener las propiedades características del producto que se comercializa en la actualidad.
  • Estudio de la valorización del suero mediante los procesos de fermentación, y su impacto.

 

Context

Almost 85% of the milk used to make cheese is discarded in the form of whey – a liquid rich in salts and lactose, which still contains 20% of milk proteins. As a result, companies in the sector are interested in the valorisation of this whey as a by-product in the food industry, as to date it has been considered waste with treatment that entails additional costs, given that its disposal without treatment is prohibited due to its high environmental impact. In addition, there is the potential for bringing new products obtained from this recovery to market without increasing the raw materials used, and minimising the external compounds currently used to produce existing products. 

This project aims to contribute to enhancing the efficient management of the participating companies by means of solutions that make them more competitive (in terms of reducing costs), which enable them to diversify their activities (if this means that they can market ingredients that are surplus to their requirements) and which allow them to show consumers that their work is more sustainable and environmentally friendly, and firmly committed to the principles of the circular economy. 

The VALACTICAT Project aims to recover whey by applying new technologies in order to increase the competitiveness of the participating companies, to save resources in their management and enhance the sustainability of their work. 

Project details
Main funding source
Rural development 2014-2020 for Operational Groups
Rural Development Programme
2014ES06RDRP009 Spain - Rural Development Programme (Regional) - Cataluña
Location
Main geographical location
Barcelona

€ 170617.14

Total budget

Total contributions from EAFRD, national co-financing, additional national financing and other financing.

Project keyword

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Contacts

Project coordinator