Cheese plant uses UV technology for brine treatment

Arla Foods Kruså achieves both environmental and financial savings by replacing its microfiltration system with a UV system from Lyras. Waste and energy consumption is reduced, while cleaning and operation has also become simpler and cheaper.

The Lyras UV system is being used to treat all brine for the company’s production of salad cheese. It allows the cheese plant to reuse 100% of its brine so it can eliminate the CO₂ emitted from the salt retentate disposal. Previously, using microfiltration, 10–12% of the salt was disposed as retentate.

Cleaning has also become easier as the plant can run CIP from its central systems, which now only takes 15 minutes.

Adding to the environmental profits is reduced energy and water consumption, as well as 10% less salt usage, said Packaging Manager Vagn Clausen (pictured) from Arla Foods Kruså.

Process Operator at Arla Foods Kruså Claus Werner Fischbach is also pleased with the new technology. “It is much easier to operate the new UV system compared to the microfiltration plant. We control the raslysation unit from our SCADA system, just as we do with the rest of our process equipment. The Lyras system worked from day one.”

Brine treatment

Each time one of the dairy’s brine tanks with salad cheese cubes is emptied after one to two days of salting, the cheese has the right percentage of salt for use in cups and glasses with added chili, tomato, paprika and oil. Brine from emptied tanks is reused but is treated between each new production to avoid unwanted yeast growth.

Previously the plant used to microfiltrate the brine. As the production and demand for salad cheese is increasing, the dairy was looking for a plant able to process larger amounts of brine per hour while achieving the same microbiology as from the microfiltration plant.

With 43 years of experience in the business, Clausen was not afraid to take a closer look at Lyras’ technology. It is designed to ensure good food quality even in opaque liquids by way of UV light eliminating bacteria and spores.

“It is good to have a recent technology challenge the existing. Recent technology, such as raslysation, could well be the future in some areas, as the technology is incredibly simple. It makes our job easier and helps protect the environment.” Clausen said.