Evaluation of technical feasibility and application of whey in brine for Minas Frescal cheese

Abstract

The premature disposal process of brines within industries, as well as their periodic replacement after the end of their useful life, deserve attention and new proposals for improvement since the production of brine requires high amounts of water and heat treatment to ensure exemption from contamination. At the end of its use, it demands ideal treatment, as it has a high polluting capacity. Another waste from large industries and dairy products that are produced daily in high quantities and also requires treatment prior to disposal is whey. Due to the high rate of production, the various forms of reuse already suggested and used as a destination for the whey from the separation of milk during the processing stages do not demand the residue in its entirety, generating a loss for the producers. Due to the disadvantages mentioned above and seeking effective solutions for industries and a lower impact on the environment, the objective of the work in question was to develop and evaluate, through microbiological and physicochemical analysis, the feasibility of producing liquid brine for cheeses from the use of residual whey from its production. In addition to the whey brine, a conventional brine was produced to compare the behavior of both, through the results obtained in the physicochemical and microbiological analyses. After evaluating all samples, it was concluded that the brine from the reuse of whey proved to be viable for application in dairy products, as it did not show major changes in the parameters analyzed.