OG SUEROVAL: Revaluation of dairy whey to obtain a 100% natural high-value ingredient and the production of a new range of food products. 

Dairy whey is the liquid resulting from the coagulation of milk in the manufacture of cheese after separation of casein and fat. It is the main effluent of the cheese-making industries and is highly polluting due to its high organic matter content. For this reason, the SUEROVAL project seeks to obtain a high-value additive from whey by drying it using a solar hybrid dehydrator with almost zero carbon footprint. On the other hand, chestnut flour will be obtained from the grinding of chestnuts that are not suitable for direct marketing because they are not suitable due to their characteristics in terms of appearance, weight, size, etc. 

 By obtaining the high value additive and in combination with chestnut flour, the SUEROVAL Operational Group will produce three products for human consumption: energy bars, flakes and snacks. For this purpose, and starting from the whey obtained in the production of Cebreiro P.D.O. cheese, the following specific objectives are proposed: 

• Obtain a high value additive by solar dehydration of whey. 

• Reduce the volume of cheese whey that needs to be managed as waste, valorizing it as a food ingredient. 

• Design and build a dual-stage hybrid solar dehydrator sized for the conditions, volumes and needs of the project. 

• Analyze the functional composition of the high-value additive obtained. 

• Design a range of products suitable for incorporating this high-value additive: energy bars, snacks and flakes. 

• To obtain chestnut derivatives with an optimal composition for the range of products designed. 

• To industrialize the final processing of the designed range of products (energy bars, snacks, and flakes). 

The potential results expected from this project are: 

• To valorize the cheese whey from the production of Cebreiro P.D.O. cheese by transforming it into a high value additive through solar dehydration 

• To reduce the volume of cheese whey that needs to be managed as waste 

• To put on the market a range of products (energy bars, snacks and flakes) that will include chestnut flour in their recipe, providing an outlet for those that are not suitable for direct sale. 

• Adapt the design and develop a double-stage solar dehydrator that can handle the daily production of whey obtained in the production of Cebreiro P.D.O. cheese, optimizing the drying process and the process conditions to make its implementation feasible. 

• To make available to the agri-food sector innovative solutions for the revaluation of by-products, as well as recipes for obtaining a new range of products that respond to new consumer demands, promoting their modernization and diversification. 

Consult the project information brochure in: Spanish

Check the project activities in: Spanish / English 

This project is funded through grants for the implementation of innovative projects by the operational groups of the European Innovation Partnership (EIP), co-financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) under the Strategic Plan of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) 2023–2027. The Consellería do Medio Rural is the body of the Galician Administration responsible for proposing and implementing general guidelines in rural areas. It encompasses competencies in agriculture, livestock farming, rural development and regional planning, rural structures, agri-food and forestry industries, forests, and the prevention and control of forest fires. 

The Grupo Operativo SUEROVAL is made up of a multidisciplinary team composed of Queixos Castelo de Brañas S.L., Fundación Empresa Universidad Gallega (FEUGA), Centro Tecnolóxico da Carne (CTC), Trasdeza Natur S. Coop. Galega, Amarelante S. Coop. Galega, and the Grupo de Aplicaciones Energéticas Sostenibles of the USC as a cooperating entity.