Upgrading whey

Several years ago the enzyme industry looked at the cheese industry and saw lactase as a big opportunity. Besides the lactose crystallization problem in frozen and concentrated milk products, the enzyme industry saw another potentially big profit application. Over half of the cheese whey produced in making cheese is diverted to waste treatment or waste disposal systems rather than being processed for food and feed use. Upgrading cheese whey became the hot development item for the enzyme industry. 

Whey from the dairy industry is a waste product. Research is being conducted on biotechnological systems for upgrading lactose in whey to human health-care and cosmetic products. 

Lactase Yeast, mold Delactosed milk and daity products whey treatment and upgrading... 

Fuel processor for 5 kW PEM fuel cell unit Combined-cycle power generation Production of low-sulfur diesel fuel Waste-fuel upgrading to acetone and isopropanol Conversion of cheese whey (solid waste) to lactic acid Ethanol for gasoline from com symp... 

It was shown how industrial waste like surplus whey, crude glycerol phase, lignocellu-loses, molasses and residues from the slaughtering and biodiesel industry can be upgraded to substrates for biopolymer production. Applying such waste streams as carbon source can be regarded as the most promising route to make the entire PHA biopolymer production process economically competitive this is valid for bulk plastics made of petrochemical competitors as well as for special polymers currently used for niche products. 

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