The presentation describes the concept of fermented dairy products concentrated by membrane filtration. This product category contains many denominations, like Greek yoghurt, skyr, quark, labneh, fromage frais, Petit-Suisse etc. Overall this is one of the fastest growing product categories within dairy. The technology of concentrating fermented dairy products gives producers the opportunity to vary the characteristics and composition of products offered to consumers. Thus – different product values can be communicated and different consumer groups or consumption occasions can be targeted. Based on the market demands for both indulgence and health, we will explain the advantages of using membrane filtration technology for this type of products and compare with different traditional methods. We will compare the different membrane types and their respective impact on i.a. viscosity of the product, flexibility and total costs of ownership. The presentation will also include a step-by-step process description pointing out the important parameters and critical points, both up-stream and down-stream, in the process line.

Dairy proteins have nutritional and functional advantages compared to other protein sources and demand is driven by the need for recombined products, fortification, and nutrition for infants and sensitive groups. Therefore whey powders are a major dairy ingredient today where membrane filtration processes are essential in the production of these. The need for ensuring growing food safety concerns and meeting operational efficiency demands calls for a new approach to membrane cleaning. Ultrasil MembraneCARE 2.0 is a proprietary CIP membrane cleaning program designed for dairy manufacturers producing premium-quality products, that expertly combines alkaline, acid and patent-pending enzyme cleaners and setting new standards for performance.

This presentation will review three applications in the dairy industry: 1) Bacteria removal, 2) Milk, fractionation and 3) Cheese brine purification and recycling. Back in the 80’s ceramic MF membranes started to be used for bacteria removal from skim milk thus significantly improving the quality and shelf life of pasteurized milk. In the 90’s the crossflow system design was simplified with the introduction of GP membranes and further optimizations of membrane pores size and structure allowed setting new standards for the production of ESL milk. At the boundary between MF and UF, other GP membranes are used for milk fractionation. In that case, skim milk is split into a native casein rich fraction and “ideal whey” further processed to make WPI or other ingredients. Hollow Fibers based crossflow systems purify and recycle cheese brine. They efficiently remove suspended solids and microbial load out of the brine solution to stabilize its quality and dramatically reduce the frequency of periodic bath dumping into sewage.

Introducing Hollow Plate filtration elements and systems, disruptive new solutions for sanitary MF and UF applications in dairy.
Hollow Plate membrane filters allow free flow over a flat membrane surface, allowing a unique and highly sanitary solution, which at the same time significantly reduces energy consumption compared to traditional membrane cross flow filtration. The membrane filter systems operate with a very uniform trans-membrane pressure and this allows for new end-products. The systems are fully drainable and can be cleaned quickly, with reduced use of water and chemicals. In addition to the presentation of the Hollow Plate technology, a demo model will be set up at the seminar, so it is possible to see a lab scale unit in operation.