Hydrosol is offering cheese makers new opportunities in trendy food items by using rennet and whey as a by-product. With Stabisol JOC stabilizer and texturing systems, rennet and acid whey can profitably be made into new products.

The manufacture of one kilogram of cheese results in nine kilograms of whey as a by-product. The amount of whey left over is correspondingly high in cheese-making countries. The US is in the lead with over 48 million tons per year, followed by Brazil, Turkey and Russia with five to seven million tons. Given these volumes, which have risen steadily over the years, dairies are faced with a major challenge, since disposing of whey is just as costly as converting it into powder. 

Whey contains 0.8 percent protein. Whey protein is recognized as having very good nutritional properties and is actually nutritionally superior to protein from whole milk or soy. This is a big part of the reason why this dairy product has had a positive image as a healthy food for some years. Cheesemakers can now benefit from these advantages while making good use of their surplus whey. 

Hydrosol’s new functional systems turn whey into a wide range of new products. For example, rennet whey can be used as a basis for pudding desserts, drinks, fermented desserts and sour cream. Acid whey can be used to make alternatives to yogurt. “Acid whey is a special challenge for cheese producers because processing it is technologically much more demanding than for rennet whey,” explains Dr. Dorotea Pein, Innovation Manager at Hydrosol.

“After intensive research and many application tests, we have succeeded in developing an ingredient complex that makes it possible to market acid whey profitably.”

Whether made of rennet or acid whey, the end products feature appealing mouth feel and creamy texture. “The fat content of the products can be adjusted either with normal milk fat in the form of a cream or with vegetable fat,” says Dr. Pein. “The desired viscosity can be achieved using our highly functional stabilizer and texturing systems.” 

Dr. Pein told journalist“We are creating ideas which we then further expand with our customers. We take on every product idea and integrate it using whey. It is possible that there will be further developments in the future anything in the dairy sector is imaginable.”

“There concern around fat and protein levels from our consumers, that is why we at Hydrosol have developed a pudding with a high protein content this year. It has an excellent mouth feel and still high in protein,” she explains.  

Like yogurt, the whey alternatives can be mixed with various ingredients, such as flavorings and colors added at the beginning of the manufacturing process or fruit preparations added before filling. Through its close cooperation with its sister companies in the Stern-Wywiol Gruppe, Hydrosol can offer its customers individual solutions in this area. With its sister company OlbrichtArom, stabilizer specialist Hydrosol can also offer all-in compounds that include customer-specific flavoring.