The Virtual Institute on Feedstocks of the Future
Dairy Industry Waste Valorization (DIWAV)
DIWAV aims to transform dairy industry waste into valuable ingredients for animal and aquaculture feeds. The team is developing an advanced biomanufacturing platform that converts nutrient-rich waste into carotenoids in a sustainable manner. This approach not only addresses environmental concerns but also reduces production costs.
Dairy industry waste is an environmental threat and a financial strain to the industry. Its composition prevents direct disposal into water bodies, making wastewater treatment the standard approach. Given the lack of alternative methods to create value from this waste, it represents an underutilized resource with significant potential.
Impact
The DIWAV project aligns with the principles of a circular economy by promoting resource efficiency through the conversion of waste feedstock into valuable products. DIWAV also addresses food security challenges by upcycling dairy industry waste into food and feed ingredients. In addition, DIWAV’s product manufacturing will occur in limited space, eliminating the need for arable land or fresh water, and will be unaffected by weather phenomena. Beyond environmental sustainability, DIWAV research promises to deliver economic benefits to both the dairy industry, by eliminating waste disposal costs, and to farmers, by potentially reducing the feed’s overall cost and enhancing profitability through carotenoid-rich feed ingredients. Furthermore, this biomanufacturing method is more sustainable than synthetic alternatives and resonates with consumer preferences for natural and eco-friendly products. Overall, DIWAV anticipates that its research will raise interest in the valorization of dairy waste, positioning it as a promising feedstock.
