Abstract
Waste reduction and reuse is a crucial target of current research efforts. In this respect, the present study was focused on providing an example of local investment in a simple process configuration that converts whey into value-added compounds and allows recovery of a clean water stream. In particular, buffalo milk whey obtained during mozzarella manufacturing was ultrafiltered in-house on spiral membrane modules (20 kDa), and the two obtained fractions, namely the retentate and the permeate, provided by the dairy factory, were further processed during this work. The use of an additional nanofiltration step allowed the recovery of high-quality water to be reused in the production cycle (machine rinsing water within the facility) and/or in agriculture, also reducing disposal costs and the environmental impact. The ultrafiltration retentate, on the other hand, was spray-dried and the powder obtained was used as the main substrate for the cultivation of Lactobacillus fermentum, a widely studied probiotic with anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory and cholesterol-lowering properties. In addition, the same sample was tested in vitro on a human keratinocytes model. Resuspended concentrated whey powder improved cell reparation rate in scratch assays, assisted through time-lapse video-microscopy. Overall these data support the potential of buffalo whey as a source of biologically active components and recyclable water in the frame of a local circular economy approach.
Highlights
Whey is the main and most polluting by-product obtained from cheese manufacturing processes due to its organic load consisting of lactose, lactic acid, proteins and salts
The use of filtration is applicable in small/medium-sized companies that can reduce costs due to the disposal of numerous tons of discarded whey produced daily, and reuse it for the separation of fractions enriched in lactose, proteins and peptides, and for the recovery of clean water
Our research aimed to evaluate the ability of ultrafiltered and concentrated whey from buffalo milk, to prompt cell migration and regeneration of the human keratinocyte monolayers by using a scratch assay [29]
Summary
Whey is the main and most polluting by-product obtained from cheese manufacturing processes due to its organic load consisting of lactose, lactic acid, proteins and salts. The substantial production of whey worldwide, estimated to be around. The discovery of its potential use as a functional food with nutritional applications is transforming it from a waste [3] into an added value product. Numerous studies have attributed several biological actions to these by-products which are important in the medical, pharmaceutical and food industries for their properties with potential benefits to human health [4]. The biological components of whey, including lactoferrin, beta-lactoglobulin, alpha-lactalbumin, glycomacropeptide, and immunoglobulins, demonstrate a range of immune-enhancing properties [5]. Whey has the ability to act as an antioxidant, antihypertensive, antitumor, hypolipidemic
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