General Objectives
 

VALORISATION OF BY-PRODUCTS OF CHEESE-MAKING DIARIES,
through the separation of valuable protein fractions, or through their transformation into fresh foods.
TURN THE USE OF WHEY FOR FEED OR FOR WASTE
(in some countries, directly to the rivers) into high valuable and nutritional products for human nutrition.
VALORISATION OF MILK AND WHEY FROM GOAT AND EWE MILK.
These animals are normally fed with grazing, which is very important for the biodiversity and rural maintenance of the biosystems.
VALIDATION OF NEW FOOD PROCESSING TECHNOLOGIES,
which will improve sustainability and final quality product, compared with actual processes. The development of these new technologies will also boost the creation of jobs in the area.

Our Background


In the Mediterranean basin only a limited number of SMEs know the environmental & economic convenience introducing eco-innovation in their own lifecycle. Dairy products are part of the Mediterranean Diet, and all the proposed innovation of DAINME-SME is focused on sustainability, valorization of by-products and on reducing the environmental impact of dairy companies. This is quite important because almost all do not properly consider the benefits deriving from a better valorization of milk and whey on their business.

The aim of the project is to improve circular economy of the dairy SMEs, in the Mediterranean countries. This objective will be achieved through the introduction of innovative technologies, and the development of new valuable dairy products.

Partners

  • IRTA
  • ekonek
  • FAITC
  • APEX
  • Alimenta
  • SPES-GEIE
  • ctaa
  • EGE UNIVERSITES
  • Panagro
  • Uniproca

Large factories processing cow’s milk in central and west Europe, work with large automatized full lines, and can afford the investment of high capacity processing equipment, both for the whey concentration and drying, and for the elaboration of high quality protein fractions (sold for use as ingredient of infant formula, and for sport drinks). In fact, this valorisation of the whey protein is more profitable than the cheese elaboration, and in some factories, the whey protein has become the main source of value, and the cheese is just a co-product, which is sold at low price, just to complement the whey protein income.