Technological feasibility of dairy beverages manufactured from sheep's and goat's cheese whey

• Grant number: 20/10930-9
• Support type: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: September 01, 2021 - August 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Technology
• Principal researcher: Alline Artigiani Lima Tribst
• Grantee: Alline Artigiani Lima Tribst
• Home Institution: Núcleo de Estudos e Pesquisas em Alimentação (NEPA). Reitoria. Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Assoc. researchers: Bruno Ricardo de Castro Leite Júnior

Abstract

In Brazil, sheep's and goat's milk are produced mainly in small family farms spread across different regions of the country. Commonly, dairy production occurs on the same properties, adding value to their products. Cheese whey is a by-product obtained from cheese manufacturing and is normally used in animal feed and/ or inappropriately disposed in smallholdings, due to the lack of adequate structure for the stabilization of wastewater and lack of technological knowledge for the development of whey-based products. This cheese whey management can results in negative environmental and/or financial impacts. To change this scenario, this study aims to: (i) characterize sweet whey from sheep's (SWSC) and goat's (SWGC) cheeses and (ii) evaluate the use of whey in the manufacture of dairy beverages with high physical and microbiological stability during the product's shelf-life, with good sensory acceptance, able of carrying probiotic microorganisms and with desirable bioactive properties. The knowledge acquired will be transferred directly to small producers of sheep and goat milk cheeses, increasing smallholdings income and reducing their environmental impact. Furthermore, the results will help the scientific community to better understand the potential of these by-products, expanding the current scientific knowledge about cheese whey from milk of small ruminants. (AU)