New research examines lost opportunity from manufacturers throwing away whey

A University of Adelaide researcher has found that few cheese manufacturers, “across all production scales”, are upcycling the byproduct of whey, the liquid left over after milk is curdled and strained. 

According to Jack Hetherington from the Centre for Global Food and Resources, “there is significant potential for widespread change in a relatively short period, particularly if collaborative efforts receive greater support.”

Whey represents between 75 and 90 per cent of the mass of the raw milk used, and it can be made into many products. About half of the dairy industry’s waste is whey. Potential uses for this include protein powders, fermented beverages and food ingredients.

The research explored four potential business models and collaboration strategies to address the issue: in-house processing; third-party partnerships (whey gets sold or given to another business for processing); joint ventures (manufacturers collaborate to achieve scale and share processing infrastructure); and focal companies (existing whey processors accept whey from other cheesemakers, increasing throughput and reducing waste.)

“All four models ultimately achieve the same goal: transforming whey waste into a valuable food product,” said Hetherington, who spoke to cheese makers of all sizes around the country.

“Manufacturers already processing whey should consider accepting whey from nearby cheesemakers, which would demonstrate industry leadership, reduce waste, and generate additional revenue. One business I spoke to makes more money from whey than cheese — there’s great potential for success.”

Streamlining regulatory barriers was a way identified to make circularity easier for cheesemakers and others.

“While regulations like waste levies incentivise change, other policies — such as food safety regulations and alcohol taxation — can act as barriers,” said Hetherington.

“Finding ways to improve the circularity of our food system could unlock economic benefits for the industry and enable us to produce more with less. This will require both new forms of collaboration and the right incentives to help businesses overcome barriers and invest in change. Dealing with food loss and waste is a complex, ever-evolving issue, with no single solution.”

The briefing paper was developed by Hetherington as part of his PhD and received funding from the End Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre, the CSIRO, and the University of Adelaide. It can be read here.

Picture: credit University of Adelaide

Further reading

Huge volumes of whey go to waste. We could do much more with this nutrient-rich liquid

New study shows we can create value from food waste by turning it into a highly desirable material – nanocellulose

Not like udder milk: ‘synthetic milk’ made without cows may be coming to supermarket shelves near you

There’s gold in them there hills of food waste