Strategies for Cheese Whey Processing and Valorization

Abstract

The cheese industry generates significant quantities of cheese whey as a byproduct, posing substantial environmental challenges due to its rich organic matter content. Recent efforts have focused on developing environmentally sustainable methods for cheese whey utilization, aiming to transform this abundant byproduct into a valuable resource. The focus of sustainable cheese whey management predominantly lies in biotechnological and food-related applications, leading to the creation of various value-added products. These include whey powders, whey proteins, hydrolysates, peptides, amino acids, functional foods and beverages, lactic acid, and other biochemicals, along with bioplastics, biogas, and other noteworthy bioproducts. This TFG presents a comprehensive review of the sustainable use of cheese whey and its components, highlighting the direct uses, the novel refining techniques, and integrated processes. The focus of these strategies is to efficiently transform cheese whey and its key components, including lactose and whey proteins, into products with significant value derived from whey