Station 07
Whey based products made at Savoie Lactée
For every 1kg of Beaufort cheese, we get 9 kg of whey
So… what is whey exactly?
Whey is the liquid residue when milk coagulates within the cheese making process, in French we say “petit lait” or more technically “lactoserum”.
It is protein and fat rich and has a high nutritional value. This is why it is used to produce butter, ricotta cheese and protein powder. It is also used to generate electricity through methanisation, a process that uses the lactose.
MILK is composed of 87% water, 5% lactose, 4% fat, 3% protein, 1% minerals
Savoie Lactée was founded by the UPB (Union of Beaufort Producers) to ensure the long-term future of mountain farming through sustainable development. In 2015, 7 cooperatives from the official Beaufort area and 2 cooperatives from Savoie decided to create a state-of-the-art facility based on eco-innovation principles.
Located in Albertville, the facility collects whey from producers and transforms it into eco-friendly products.
Nearly 52 million litres of whey are processed each year.
As soon as the curds are separated from the whey during draining the whey is sent to a filter to remove impurities, skimmed to recover the fat, and then cooled so that it can be stored for a few days before being transported and processed by Savoie Lactée.
Churned butter
That’s right! Whey alone contains 5g/L of fat and soluble proteins, which allows us to make butter here in Lanslebourg, just like at Savoie Lactée.
After settling for a few minutes, whey is sent to the skimmer. During the skimming stage, milk is cooled down before being transformed into cream. Once churned, cream becomes butter. Lastly, it is moulded into 250g or 5kg blocks.
Qualities:
- always ready to be spread
- no water released while cooking
- reflecting the richness of the ‘terroir’ as well as the diversity of grass and flowers that our cows consume.
Ricotta
A traditional speciality of Savoyard cooperatives, ricotta is a fresh cheese made from recooked whey, known as Serac.
Qualities:
- low fat
- rich in high-quality protein
can be used in a variety of cooking recipes
to be enjoyed sweet and savoury, cold or hot
Whey powder
Thanks to a meticulous process of whey protein extraction and mechanical filtration (without any chemical additives), it is possible to make pure powder of a very high nutritional value.
This Protealpine 80 (WPC 80) powder is a rich source of protein, making it an optimal choice for supporting muscle growth, recovery after exercise, and overall health.
It can also be used in a variety of culinary applications such as in ice cream, sauces, charcuterie, baking and pastry making.
Methanisation natural process
Effluent waste is a byproduct of making butter, ricotta and protein powder (all derived from whey) and it is full of lactose. It is purified using a natural biological treatment process to produce a methane-rich BIOGAS.
This biogas is then converted into electricity, enabling Savoie Lactée to cover all of its energy needs.
After methanising, 2 types of residue remain.
- One is solid: natural sludge that is spread as a substitute for chemical fertiliser.
- The other is in liquid form: water purified to meet standards, respecting the ecosystem (fauna & flora), and discharged into the natural environment, in this case the Isère river, near the Savoie Lactée site.
A virtuous circle it is! A pride of the industry!
Kids visit
Joyful: What’s whey again?
Whey is the leftover water from making cheese. It’s a bit like the liquid that forms on top of your plain yoghurt when you remove its lid.
Do not hesitate to drink it!
It’s a treasure trove of protein!
