IDM | Technology/IT
New possibilities for
improving sustainability
of cheese production
Modification of process management
Author: Peter de Jong – Professor of Dairy Process Technology, Van Hall Larenstein Leeuwarden/Velp,
Principal Scientist NIZO food research Ede
24 · 4-5 2017 | international-dairy.com
Dairy products are known for their relatively low impact on the
environment per unit of nutritional value. The carbon footprint
of cheese from the Netherlands has been reduced in recent
years by minimizing energy and water consumption. However,
there are other options for further improving the sustainability of
cheese production. The dairy research team at Van Hall Larenstein
University of Applied Sciences is revealing new possibilities.
The Netherlands as a leading country
in sustainable cheese production
The Netherlands wants to be a leading country in the global dairy
sector. As part of this aspiration, it requires the knowledge and experience
required for the sustainable production of cheese. One example
of this is the availability of technology to completely eliminate
process water wastage – in which membrane filtration is applied
to reprocess the water into high-quality water for cleaning equipment.
Smart process control ensures that the protein is added to the
cheese as effectively as possible (1). In addition, other energy savings
have been implemented in various parts of the cheese process. Table
1 provides an overview of existing procedures for improving sustainability,
which have been used, for example, by NIZO food research.
New possibilities
All of the measures stated above relate to improving process management.
Recent research has shown that the ingredients used
can also substantially improve the sustainability profile. After all, a
large part (>80%) of the carbon footprint comes from milk from