Dairy Chemistry And Biochemistry

40 DAIRY CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY

W" It /

1

ii

7

Srrd

,

Figure 2.15 Schematic representation of plant for the manufacture of crude and refined lactose,
from sweet whey.

only about 420000 tonnes of lactose are produced annually, i.e. only about
7% of that potentially available.
Production of lactose essentially involves concentrating whey or ultrafil-
tration permeate by vacuum concentration, crystallization of lactose from
the concentrate, recovery of the crystals by centrifugation and drying of the
crystals (Figure 2.15). The first-crop crystals are usually contaminated with
riboflavin and are therefore yellowish; a higher grade, and hence more