Yellow cheese production
(produktion af gul ost)
|
Denmark
2002
|
Process description
The present data
refer to yellow cheese production in Hjørring Cheese
Dairy (Arla Foods)
in 2002
where
the main production processes are following:
1)
milk is received from farms 2) the milk is pasteurised
3) the pasteurized milk is mixed with enzymes and lactic acid bacteria in a large
tank, 4) the mixture undergoes solidification and a watery liquid (whey) is
separated and removed until a certain consistency of the curd (a thick white
substance) has been achieved, 5) the curd is formed into cheese and stored cool (weeks or months depending on desired taste of the final product), 6) the cheese is covered with
wax, packed in plastic foil and stored until distribution.
Wastewater generated during the process is diverted directly to municipal wastewater treatment.
The dairy is characterised by a high
degree of specialisation in cheese production and all processes modern and automatic.
Data collection and treatment
Data are derived from
Hjørring Cheese Dairy's records (Green
Account 2001/2002). Average inputs and outputs per produced unit of cheese have been calculated
ignoring minor contributions from other products.
Technical scope
Production processes from receipt of raw milk to storage of the final
product before distribution as well as administration and wastewater
treatment are included.
Packaging, cleaning agents and chemicals are not included.
Representativity
Similar
technology is used in other cheese producing units in Arla. Arla is
a major supplier cheese to the Danish market and the present data provides
a reasonable representation of yellow cheese production in Denmark.
Cheese with strong taste
need longer storage time than cheese with mild taste. Since data are average
for all kinds of yellow cheese produced at the dairy and cool storage requires
electricity, the data for electricity may be somewhat overestimated for mild
cheese and somewhat underestimated for strong cheese.
Validation
Data have
been compared with data obtained
by Berlin (2002) in terms of
contributions to environmental impacts. At some points results are
quite similar whereas at others they are very
different. The reason is probably that heat and electricity scenarios are
different but probably also that production principles
vary.
Inputs and outputs
Inputs and outputs associated with
yellow cheese production are shown in the table below.
Data are provided per
kg
of
yellow cheese whithout packaging
at the
factory's gate.
|
|
|
Unit |
Quantity |
|
Inputs |
Milk
from farm |
ton |
10 |
| |
Electricity |
kWh |
596 |
| |
Heat |
MJ |
4800 |
| |
Water |
m3 |
15 |
| |
|
|
|
|
Outputs |
Products |
|
|
|
|
Yellow cheese |
ton |
1.0 |
|
|
Whey |
ton |
8.5 |
|
|
Cream |
ton |
0.68 |
|
|
Emission
to municipal wastewater treatment plant |
|
|
|
|
COD |
kg |
38 |
|
|
N |
kg |
2.1 |
|
|
P |
kg |
0.8 |
| Location
in database: Material/Food
from industry/From dairies/Cheese |
References:
Berlin J. (2002).
Environmental life cycle assessment (LCA) of Swedish semi-hard cheese
International Dairy Journal. 12(11), 939-953.
Administrative information
Data URL: http://www.lcafood.dk/processes/industry/cheeseproduction.html
Version no.: 1.00
Authors:
Per H. Nielsen,
2.-0 LCA
Consultants
Data entry:
Data have been entered in this format by Per H. Nielsen.
Data completed: July 2003.
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