Cheese Whey Wastewater: Characterization and Value

Abstract

Cheese whey is the liquid that results from the coagulation of milk during cheese manufacture. To produce 1 kg of cheese, 10 L of milk is needed, originally 9 L of cheese whey and in case disposed of without treatment. It creates a significant problem for the environment. The research aims to find out the environmental impact and the potential of whey from Yogyakarta as a useful product. The materials used in the study used cheese whey from Cangkringan Yogjakarta. The parameters of the cheese wastewater were pH, BOD5, COD, TSS, TDS, NH3-H, and the physicochemical analyses targeted the protein, lactose, and fat, based on regulatory quality standards by the Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Indonesia No. 5 of 2014, concerning wastewater quality standards. The results show that TSS of 45,500 mg/L, pH of 5.9, BOD5 of 19,900 mg/L, COD of 90,000 mg/L, TDS 3440 mg/L, NH3-H 42,19 mg/L, protein 2.75%, lipid 0.054%, lactose, 4.1%. We can conclude that the value of BOD and COD, NH3-H in cheese wastewater does not contain good quality water, but on the other hand, whey had good potential for functional food ingredients indicated by protein, lipid, and lactose value. Due to its proven protein, lipid, and lactose value obtained in the study can be used as a functional food ingredient. Keywords: pollution, cheese whey, wastewater