Dairy Processing - March/April 2023 - 30

FORMULATION
2022, the research firm reported that more than a third of
consumers found upcycled products to be more appealing
than other products. This was up from a quarter the
previous year and aligns with consumers' growing interest in
sustainability.
" This overall trend provides manufacturers with
opportunities for storytelling, " said Lu Ann Williams, global
insights director at Innova Market Insights. " According to
our database of global food and beverage launches, North
American food and beverage launches with a food
waste and/or upcycling claim
experienced 52% average annual
growth between 2017 and 2021. "
While turning the byproduct
of cheesemaking, known as
sweet whey, into high-protein
ingredients rather than feeding it to
farm animals is smart business, it's
not that dynamic of a story. It's all the
other ingredients that are now being
upcycled that is catching the attention
of the sustainability-conscious
shopper. This includes the acid whey
stream created during strained yogurt
production, something that only came
into abundance when authentic Greek
yogurt entered the US marketplace
about 15 years ago.
30 MAR-APR 2023 | DAIRYPROCESSING.COM
For every one cup of
strained yogurt produced,
two to three cups of
acid whey are created.
Its low pH prevents it
from being converted into
a high-protein ingredient
like cheese whey. Instead, it is
usually neutralized and discarded.
That's tens of thousands of gallons of whey being sent to
landfills or water treatment facilities.
" That's billions of probiotics and other nutrients that
could be used to fuel humans in our community instead of
being wasted, " said Adam Kaye, co-founder, The Spare Food
Co., New York, and a member of UFA. " We take an unused
ingredient and craft it into a delicious food. In the process,
we eliminate climate-destructive waste, support a regional
food system of farmers, producers and vendors, and bring a
healthful product to market. "
That product is Spare Tonic, a shelf-stable effervescent
drink that contains 85% to 90% upcycled whey purchased
from local yogurt makers. It is made with only three other
ingredients: fruit, spice and a touch of honey added as the
fermentation catalyst.
Since 2020,
the Upcycled
Foods Association
(UFA) has officially
certified 236
upcycled food
products and
ingredients.
" This refreshing take on an ancient elixir naturally
provides a good source of protein, is rich in electrolytes,
including calcium, magnesium and potassium, and is an
excellent source of vitamins B-12 and B-6, " said Jeremy
Kaye, co-founder and brother to Adam. " It has a natural 3:1
carbohydrate to protein ratio, which makes it ideal as a postworkout
recovery beverage. "
Other UFA members are also being creative with whey.
Superfrau, Dorchester, Mass., for example,
rescues the surplus liquid whey from
its yogurt-manufacturing partners
in New York and Pennsylvania, then
infuses it with natural flavors and
adds carbonation. The formulation
includes lactase to make the beverage
lactose free. The lactase breaks down
the disaccharide lactose into two muchsweeter
monosaccharides glucose and
galactose - eliminating the need to add any
sweetener.
For the over-21 crowd, Wheyward
Spirit, Portland, Ore., repurposes whey
to make this new spirit, which can be
consumed in the same manner as vodka.
During the fermentation process, yeast
converts the lactose from whey into alcohol.
Cargill, The Frozen Farmer
http://www.DAIRYPROCESSING.COM
Dairy Processing - March/April 2023

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