Title : Whey from waste to a valuable technological resource based on the Polish market
Abstract:
Whey is a liquid by-product formed in the natural fermentation during the manufacture of cheese, casein, or similar products by separating from the curd after coagulating milk and/or products obtained from milk. Over the last two decades, whey production in Poland has doubled, which creates the need to seek new directions for its management. This work aims to present the use of whey and its products in food technology on the Polish market and new directions for its application. Due to the lack of sustainable practices, whey is considered the most important source of environmental pollution from the dairy industry, as large quantities of whey are disposed of as wastewater, which is associated with severe environmental risks. Failure to valorize this by-product leads to significant economic, nutritional, and environmental losses. On the Polish market, leading dairy producers offer whey as a standalone product, e.g., whey powder, demineralized whey powder (with various mineral content of 1-6.5% and whey protein content of 6-15%), liquid whey, whey permeate powder, demineralized whey permeate powder, traditional whey sour soup ("żur"), whey protein preparations (WPC- whey protein concentrate WPC 30-80% and WPC Instant 50%- 80%; WPI – whey protein isolate, WPH – whey protein hydrolysate, FFWP – Fat Filled Whey Protein with various protein content: 2-24% and vegetable fat: 6-50%). Whey can be a base for fermented and/or fruit whey drinks. Whey-based products are an attractive ingredient in the beverage sector because of their high protein, low fat, BCAA (branched-chain amino acids), and neutral taste. Moreover, whey proteins are a key ingredient in satiety products. Whey is also used in animal feeding, in meat production, for the production of dietary foods and high-protein supplements, as a source of potentially probiotic lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus sp., Bifidobacterium sp.), in biotechnology, for the enrichment of food and pharmaceutical products. Whey is used in the confectionery, bakery, pastry, and dairy industries. All these activities help reduce food waste and protect the environment. New directions for processing whey are still being sought because some of the whey remains unused. The proposals include the development of an innovative carrier of probiotic bacteria and other bioactive compounds in solid and liquid form, e.g., as a meat marinade, which could improve the quality of meat products and at the same time rationally use the by-product or use in other previously unproduced whey drinks. Another solution could be using acid whey as a natural cleaning agent in the food industry. Acid whey is a medium with strong antimicrobial potential; combined with bioactive compounds, it can limit adhesion and destroy microorganisms, including pathogenic L. monocytogenes. Acid whey and phytochemicals can be used to limit the organization of microorganisms into bacterial biofilms and to degrade the colonized biofilm. Scientists in the SUP-RIM project are working on these solutions.
