Our obsession with protein has proved to be a lucrative one for dairies. Whether in snack or powder form, this popular supplement is extracted from whey, a by-product of cheesemaking, and it has developed into a lucrative revenue stream. One of the largest manufacturers of dairy products in Britain is improving the efficiency of protein capture with Bürkert’s FLOWave surface acoustic wave (SAW) flowmeter, which provides accurate measurement of solids in liquid whey.
The dairy processor extracts whey protein from its dairy production activities, which significantly reduces waste. This process is quite a recent phenomenon; many dairies used to dispose of thousands of tons of whey as a waste product. Now, they are producing protein that can be added to a range of products such as milk, shakes, puddings and yoghurt. With many people relying on protein supplements to improve their health, demand for these products is high.
A new process flow for dairies
The process involves recovering whey from milk using advanced separation technologies, producing liquid whey. This is then pasteurised and ultra filtered to make varying grades of whey protein. Thin and concentrated whey is blended to produce standard whey, which is then stored for later use. Efficiently extracting protein from whey relies on taking highly accurate protein concentration readings throughout the entire process. To measure this, dairies need to record the solid content in the liquid whey.
Accurate measurement of protein is of particular importance at many dairies, especially where sites are faced with challenges in whey storage capacity. Some operators have moved to a continuous extraction process that can reduce on-site storage requirements by up to two thirds.
“The FLOWave provides highly accurate solid content measurements in thin, concentrated and standard whey that are used to control the blending process. This continuous control and production of standard whey means only the finished product requires storage. The instantaneous readings from FLOWave following straining, filtration and blending play an important role in this innovative process,” adds Jon Roberts, Account Manager at Bürkert.
With recent market conditions presenting many challenges for dairies, protein has offered a welcome revenue stream from a by-product that was once considered waste. Capitalising on this opportunity relies on having the most accurate and responsive processing equipment on the line. For measuring protein in whey, the FLOWave is proving to be the cream of the current crop.
“This exciting project proves to the dairy industry there are other options to Coriolis flow meters when measuring protein in whey or milk. In fact, with its large range of measurement parameters and sizes, the FLOWave lends itself well to other beverage applications too,” Kieran concludes.
