From an ecological problem to a source of bioactive compounds: Whey from dairy industry.

MARÍA CRISTINA PEROTTI; CLAUDIA INÉS VÉNICA; MARIJANA BLAZIC

Zadar

Conferencia; 7 th International Professional and Scientific Conference. Occupational safety and health; 2018

Whey is an abundant by-product of the dairy industry. Global production of liquid whey from cheese and casein estimate at around 190 million tons/year. United States and European Union produce approx. 70% of whey in the world and are also the major market for their derived products. The elevated content of organic matter of whey is associated with a high biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and potential for decomposition. The perception of whey as a pollutant has changed with the discovery of valuable constituents with bioactive properties which have multiple applications (food, pharmaceutical, among other). Several technologies are employed for its obtaining; membrane processes are the most widely used. In this presentation, we will focus on the different types of whey, the physicochemical composition, the technologies used mainly for the production of peptides and oligosaccharides, and their applications.