Project summary. In producing primary milk products, such as sour cream, butter, cheese, certain dairy by-products are obtained as well, depending on the processing mode. Whey, as one of by-products, is an excellence source of proteins, but also it is an aggressive ecologically non-friendly product because of organic substances present in it in large quantities. Electrophysical whey processing, to be used in the project, is a wasteless method, which allows also the valorification of all its components.

Extraction of whey proteins and obtaining protein-mineral concentrates of a high value under the action of an electric current and avoiding the direct usage of chemicals is an advantageous process based on modern principles, which assures the finite cycle of the simultaneous processing of whey sugars, too, through separating them from the deproteinized whey.

Concentrates of proteins from whey are of value on the global level: they can be used as biologically active additives, food supplements, and dietary products. Electrophysical processing allows for the control of the content of whey proteins in the obtained concentrates, depending on the processing mode. The content of amino acids, mostly essential ones, in the concentrates obtained varies, which is manifested in their presence in final products.

In the framework of the given project it was envisaged:

• to develop wasteless technologies of electrophysical processing so as to permit the fractionation of whey, having as the main objective the desired isolation of whey proteins and of amino acids in concentrates, in a special combination with minerals, which will make it possible to manufacture a specific range of very healthy food additives and dietetic supplements;

• to determine qualitatively and quantitatively major protein fractions and to analyze amino acids, first, in whey and in protein mineral concentrates obtained during the electrophysical processing of whey;

• to design an installation that will work non-stop, producing no waste, which will allow for fractionation of whey and energy savings.

The partners in the project were: "Vasile Alecsandri" University of Bacau, “Dunarea de Jos” University of Galati (both Romania) and REMCO International Inc., USA.