Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-dfsvx Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-27T01:05:31.241Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Ultrafiltration of defatted whey: improving performance by limiting membrane fouling

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 June 2009

Georges Daufin
Affiliation:
INRA, Laboratoire, de Recherches de Technologie Laitière, 65 rue de Saint-Brieuc, 35042 Rennes Cédex, France
Françoise Michel
Affiliation:
INRA, Laboratoire, de Recherches de Technologie Laitière, 65 rue de Saint-Brieuc, 35042 Rennes Cédex, France
Jean-Pierre Labbé
Affiliation:
École Nationale Supérieure de Chimie, 11 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 75231 Paris Cédex 05, France
Auguste Quemebais
Affiliation:
Université Rennes I, Laboratoire de Spectroscopie, U A CNRS 1202, Avenue du Général Leclerc, Campus de Beaulieu, 35042 Rennes Cédex, France
André Grangeon
Affiliation:
TechSep, rue Penberto, 01703 Miribel, France

Summary

Defatted whey was obtained by aggregating residual fat to calcium phosphate precipitates and separating the precipitate by membrane microfiltration (pore diameter 0·2 μm). When ultrafiltering this defatted whey the performance of an inorganic membrane (molecular mass cut-off, 10 kDa) was limited by the large concentration of Ca and phosphates. Consequently, the influence of the aggregation pH (either decreasing or constant) on membrane fouling has been studied for ultrafiltration (UF) of defatted sweet whey and defatted whey UF retentates (protein content up to 30g l–1). In all experiments protein rejection was 100%. When pH was kept constant during the pretreatment, membrane fouling was significantly lowered. Hydraulic resistances ascribed to irreversible fouling were in good agreement with fouled membrane analyses performed by i.r. and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies. They showed that provided a low Ca and phosphate content was maintained in the microfiltrate, which was achieved at constant pH, no apatite was detected within the membrane, and proteins were less fouling. On the other hand, the amount of fouling material depended on the transmembrane pressure gradient along the hydraulic path. On the membrane surface, the higher the pressure, the higher the fouling. In the membrane bulk, the fouling heterogeneity depended on the ability of the defatted whey to precipitate apatite. If it did, the higher the pressure, the higher the calcium phosphate and the protein fouling. With other phosphate structures, the bulk fouling depended on the barrier formed by surface fouling layers and the protein concentration polarization layer, which were more resistant to solute and solvent transfer under higher pressure, where they were thicker.

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Proprietors of Journal of Dairy Research 1993

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Daufin, G., Labbe, J.-P., Quemerais, A. & Michel, F. 1991 a Fouling of an inorganic membrane during ultrafiltration of defatted whey protein concentrates. Netherlands Milk and Dairy Journal 45 257272Google Scholar
Daufin, G., Merin, U., Labbe, J.-P., Quemerais, A. & Kerherve, F.-L. 1991 b Cleaning of an inorganic membrane after whey and milk ultrafiltration. Biotechnology and Bioengineering 38 8289CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Daufin, G., Michel, F. & Merin, U. 1992 a Ultrafiltration of defatted whey: influence of some physico-chemical characteristics. Australian Journal of Dairy Technology 47 713Google Scholar
Daufin, G., Michel, F. & Merin, U. 1992 b Study of ultrafiltration of defatted whey protein concentrates (WPC) withdrawn from an industrial plant. Lait 72 185189CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fane, A. G., Fell, C. J. D. & Suki, A. 1983 The effect of pH and ionic environment on the ultrafiltration of protein solutions with retentive membranes. Journal of Membrane Science 16 195210CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fauquant, J., Pierre, A. & Brule, G. 1985 b [Clarifying acid casein whey.] Technique Laitière No. 1003 3741Google Scholar
Fauquant, J., Vieco, S., Brulé, G. & Maubois, J. L. 1985 a [Sweet whey clarification by heating in the presence of calcium to remove residual fat.] Lait 65 120CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gupta, V. K. & Reuter, H. 1987 Studies on ultrafiltration of cheese whey for the manufacture of whey protein concentrates. Kieler Milchwirtschaftliche Forschungsberichte 39 3950Google Scholar
Kim, S.-H., Morr, C. V., Seo, A. & Surak, J. G. 1989 Effect of whey pretreatment on composition and functional properties of whey protein concentrate. Journal of Food Science 54 2529CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Labbé, J.-P., Quemerais, A., Michel, F. & Daufin, G. 1990 Fouling of inorganic membranes during whey ultrafiltration: analytical methodology. Journal of Membrane Science 51 293307CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lee, D. N. & Merson, R. L. 1976 Prefiltration of cottage cheese whey to reduce fouling of ultrafiltration membranes. Journal of Food Science 41 403410CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Malmberg, R. & Holm, S. 1988 Producing low-bacteria milk by microfiltration. North European Food and Dairy Journal 54 3032Google Scholar
Marshall, K. R. & Harper, W. J. 1988 Whey protein concentrates. International Dairy Federation Bulletin No. 233 2132Google Scholar
Maubois, J. L. 1988 Whey: its biotechnical signification. 8th International Biotechnology Symposium, 2 814824 (Eds Durand, G., Robichon, L. and Florent, J.). Paris: Société Française de MicrobiologieGoogle Scholar
Maubois, J. L., Pierre, A., Fauquant, J. & Piot, M. 1987 Industrial fractionation of main whey proteins, trends in whey utilization. International Dairy Federation Bulletin No. 212 154159Google Scholar
Morr, C. V. & Foegeding, E. A. 1990 Composition and functionality of commercial whey and milk protein concentrates and isolates: a status report. Food Technology 44 (4) 100112Google Scholar
Muller, L. L. & Harper, W. J. 1979 Effects on membrane processing of pretreatments of whey. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 27 662664CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Patocka, J. & Jelen, P. 1989 Rapid clarification of cottage cheese whey by centrifugation and its control by measurements of absorbance. Milchwissenschaft 44 501503Google Scholar
Pearce, R. J. & Marshall, S. C. 1991 New ways with whey components. Australian Journal of Dairy Technology 46 105107Google Scholar
Pierre, A., Le Great, Y., Fauquant, J., Piot, M., Durier, C. & Kobilinsky, A. 1992 [Influence of physicochemical parameters on whey clarification.] Lait (in press)Google Scholar
Riesmeier, B. & Kroner, K. H. 1987 Studies on secondary layer formation and its characterization during cross-flow filtration of microbial cells. Journal of Membrane Science 34 245266CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rinn, J. C., Morr, C. V., Seo, A. & Surak, J. G. 1990 Evaluation of nine semi-pilot scale whey pretreatment modifications for producing whey protein concentrate. Journal of Food Science 55 510515CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sandblom, R. M., 1974 Filtering process, Swedish Patent 74 16257Google Scholar
Stumm, W. & Morgan, J. J. 1981 Aquatic Chemistry; an introduci ion emphasizing chemical equilibria in natural waters, p. 244New York: J. Wiley & SonsGoogle Scholar
Taddéi, C., Daufin, G., Aimar, P. & Sanchez, V. 1989 Role of some whey components on mass transfer in ultrafiltration. Biotechnology and Bioengineering 34 171179CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed