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

Cheese 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 industry and is highly polluting due to its high organic matter content. Therefore, the SUEROVAL project seeks to obtain a high-value additive from whey by drying it using a solar hybrid dehydrator with a near-zero carbon footprint. On the other hand, chestnut flour will be obtained from the grinding of chestnuts that are not suitable for direct commercialization 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 the 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:

• To obtain a high value additive by solar dehydration of whey.
• To reduce the volume of cheese whey that needs to be managed as waste by recovering it as a food ingredient.
• Design and build a dual-stage dehydrator powered by solar photovoltaic energy and sized for the conditions, volumes and needs of the project.
• To 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.
• Industrialize the final processing of the designed range of products (energy bars, snacks and flakes).

The potential outcomes 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.
• 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.
• To adapt the design and fine-tune 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.

This project is financed by grants for the implementation of innovative projects of the European Innovation Partnership (EIP) operational groups, co-financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) within the framework of the Common Agricultural Policy Strategic Plan (CAPP) 2023-2027. The Consellería del Medio Rural is the body of the Galician Administration responsible for proposing and executing the general guidelines in the rural area and is responsible for agriculture, livestock, rural development and regional planning, rural structures, agri-food and forestry industries, forestry, forest fire prevention and defense.

The SUEROVAL Operational Group is formed by a multidisciplinary team composed of Queixos Castelo de Brañas SL, Fundación Empresa Universidad Gallega (FEUGA), Centro Tecnolóxico da Carne (CTC), Trasdeza Natur S Coop Galega, Amarelante and the Sustainable Energy Applications Group of the USC as a collaborating entity.

Download the informational brochure: ES