New research suggests converting the Australian dairy industry’s whey waste into a valuable food product is more feasible than many realise, with significant potential for industry-wide change.
New research suggests converting the Australian dairy industry’s whey waste into a valuable food product is more feasible than many realise, with significant potential for industry-wide change.
Whey is a by-product of cheese manufacturing and one of the largest sources of food loss and waste in the Australian dairy sector, and the country’s food industry more broadly. It’s the liquid that remains after milk is curdled and strained during cheese and yoghurt production.
Jack Hetherington, from the University of Adelaide’s Centre for Global Food and Resources, says while there are multiple high-value reuse options – such as protein powders, alcoholic beverages (beer or vodka), kombucha, and cooking stocks – his new report reveals the sector has not fully capitalised on this valuable by-product.
“A key finding from my research is that only a small number of cheese manufacturers, across all production scales, have adopted innovative technologies and business models to upcycle whey into high-value products,” Hetherington says.
Read more at University of Adelaide
Image: Researcher at the University of Adelaide, Jack Hetherington. (Credit: Morgan Sette)
