Article for Mælkeritidende:
Arla cheese plant protects the environment
and saves money with UV technology
Arla Foods Kruså achieves both environmental and financial profit by replacing their microfiltration system with a UV system from Lyras. Waste and energy consumption is reduced, while cleaning and operation also becomes simpler and cheaper. UV technology will therefore in future treat all brine for the company’s production of salad cheese.
With the new UV system from Lyras, we can reuse our brine 100% and thereby eliminate the CO2 emitted from the salt retentate disposal. From microfiltration, 10-12% of the salt is disposed of as retentate.
Cleaning has also become cheaper and easier. This means that we run CIP from our central systems, and now only takes 15 minutes. This solution is considerably cheaper compared to cleaning microfiltration systems.
The working environment for our employees has improved, and the expectations to the microbiology have been met in relation to the dairy’s wishes.
Adding to the environmental profits, is reduced energy and water consumption, as well as 10% less salt usage, says Packaging Manager Vagn Clausen from Arla Foods Kruså.
Process Operator at Arla Foods Kruså, Claus Werner Fischbach, is also pleased with the new technology.
He says: ”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.”
Unwanted yeast growth in brine
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.
In the past, Arla Foods Kruså used to microfiltrate the brine. But 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.
Welcomes new technology
With 43 years of experience in the business, Vagn Clausen was not afraid to take a closer look at Lyras’ groundbreaking technology. It ensures high 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.” says Packaging Manager Vagn Clausen from Arla Foods Kruså.
Why Arla Foods Kruså uses Lyras’ UV technology
- 100 percent recycle of brine – the previous waste of 10-12 percent is avoided
- Salt saving of approx. 10%
- CO2 emissions and expenses at waste transportation are avoided
- Considerably less CIP chemicals
- Desired microbiological level is achieved
- Improved work environment
- Cleaning from central CIP facility with standard chemistry
- Complete cleaning in approx. 15 minutes including pipes
- Energy savings: Lyras’s systems use half as much power as previous equipment at most
- Water savings: Lyras’s systems use significantly less water
- A simpler system to operate
- Easy commissioning: Lyras’s system was in production from day one
- Increased capacity
- Nice experience with thorough test period pre purchase as well as project and commissioning phase
Read the full article (in Danish) here: https://maelkteritidende.prenly.com/p/maelkeritidende/2022-10-21/r/13/24-25/4243/641917
