NEW RESEARCH SHOWS THERE ARE PLENTY OF WHEYS TO REDUCE DAIRY WASTE

New research reveals plenty of wheys to reduce dairy waste 🧀

When we think of food waste, we often picture damaged fruit or leftover meals. But did you know that whey, the liquid leftover after milk is turned into cheese, is a major contributor as well? Around 350,000 tonnes of whey are discarded annually, costing businesses $578 million. Despite retaining half the nutrients of milk, this valuable resource often goes to waste.

Jack Hetherington’s new research, funded by the University of Adelaide, the End Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre and CSIRO, shows that turning whey into valuable food products is more feasible than many think, with potential for industry-wide change. 

Hetherington’s report offers several key recommendations, including:

• Retailers stocking whey-based alternatives, giving consumers the choice to purchase them.
• Manufacturers collaborating to turn whey into valuable products, like vodka.
• Developing clearer guidelines to help businesses – such as food safety protocols for upcycling whey.

Read the report here

About End Food Waste Australia’s work in the dairy industry:

End Food Waste Australia is uniquely positioned to lead industry-wide change. Recognising that food waste from the dairy is one of the six highest Australian food waste sources, we have developed a Dairy Sector Action Plan and are currently working with Dairy Australia on an Implementation Plan.

About the research:

Jack Hetherington was a student in the prestigious End Food Waste Future Leaders Program, a collaboration between End Food Waste Australia, Central Queensland University and KPMG. Jack recently completed his Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and is working as a Grant-funded Researcher at University of Adelaide’s Centre for Global Food and Resources.