FrieslandCampina Innovates Whey Protein Production with Lyras UV-C Sterilization Technology
DAIRY & ALTERNATIVES SUSTAINABILITYMOST POPULAR
This is an AI generated illustration and does not represent actual product or service.
FrieslandCampina, a global leader in dairy nutrition, has filed a patent application for an advanced process to produce Serum Protein Concentrate (SPC)—a key ingredient in infant formula—using Lyras UV-C sterilization technology. This innovation replaces traditional heat pasteurization, significantly improving energy efficiency while preserving heat-sensitive bioactive proteins like immunoglobulins (IgG) and lactoferrin.
The Challenge: Balancing Microbial Safety and Nutritional Quality
Infant formula must closely mimic human breast milk’s nutritional profile, particularly its whey-to-casein ratio and essential amino acid content. However, conventional SPC production relies on thermal pasteurization (72°C for 15+ seconds) and ceramic microfiltration (CMF), which:
- Denature bioactive proteins (e.g., IgG, lactoferrin) above 65°C.
- Consume high energy and water (CMF requires significant resources).
- Fail to eliminate thermoresistant bacteria like Streptococcus thermophilus and Microbacterium spp.
The Solution: UV-C Sterilization for Enhanced Safety & Bioactivity
FrieslandCampina’s patent application introduces UV-C light (254 nm wavelength) as a non-thermal microbial reduction method, leveraging Lyras’ turbulence-based UV-C technology to overcome dairy’s opacity and ensure uniform sterilization.
Key Advantages:
✔ Preserves bioactive proteins (no heat denaturation).
✔ Eliminates thermoresistant bacteria that survive pasteurization.
✔ Reduces energy use by ~1000x vs. thermal pasteurization.
✔ Enables sustainable processing by removing CMF steps.
Experimental Validation: UV-C Outperforms Pasteurization
Traditional Pasteurization (68–76°C): Reduced IgG bioactivity to 44% and lactoferrin to 10%, while thermoresistant bacteria persisted (800 CFU/mL).
UV-C Treatment (9% Dry Matter, 10°C): Cut microbial load from 800 to 10 CFU/mL, eliminated thermoresistant bacteria, and fully preserved IgG (1.54 wt%) and lactoferrin (0.13 wt%).
Optimized UV-C (12.5–14.7% Dry Matter, 30–52°C): Confirmed effectiveness at higher concentrations with no protein damage and improved microbial kill at Re >1500.
Why This Matters
1. Superior Microbial Safety:
- UV-C inactivates bacteria pasteurization misses, enhancing formula safety.
2. Maximized Nutritional Value:
- IgG, lactoferrin, and other immune-supporting proteins remain intact.
3. Sustainability Gains:
- Eliminates energy-intensive CMF and heat treatments.
- Reduces water usage and carbon footprint.
Industry Implications
- Infant formula manufacturers can now produce clean-label, bioactive-rich products without thermal damage.
- UV-C adoption could extend to other dairy streams, such as whey protein isolates and milk concentrates.
