Dive Brief:
- Chobani has deployed a new reverse osmosis filtration system at its plant in Twin Falls, ID, to address its problem with acid whey.
- Acid whey is a byproduct of the process in which Greek yogurt is made. And unlike the sweet whey created in cheese production, it cannot be repurposed into other food production.
- Chobani's new multimillion-dollar system converts the acid whey into pure water and a concentrated form of whey that can be used in animal feeds.
Dive Insight:
This is good news for Chobani, which expects to cut its water purchases by about 20%. It's also good news for anyone who lives near a farm that bought acid whey from Chobani before. Acid whey can be used as fertilizer, but it has an unpleasant smell.