UV pasteurization: Arla Foods Kruså taps novel microfiltration technology

17 Feb 2023 --- Arla Foods Kruså is leveraging UV pasteurization from Danish business Lyras. The technology is developed to treat opaque liquids such as dairy products and juice. The company will use the method for brine treatment destined for its salad cheeses.

According to Ruben Riksted, marketing manager at Lyras, the pasteurizing solution is innovative and can easily be implemented into any production line.

“If a food company pasteurizes its products, then there is potential for our technology to be incorporated into their processes to make them more sustainable and help them reach their environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals, while being easier to manage and creating a better product at the end,” he tells FoodIngredientsFirst. 

“The system is going to replace labor-intensive filtration processes that put physical strain on employees who have been manually handling filters. The system is also expected to provide increased safety concerning unwanted microbiology and reduced energy consumption,” he continues.

 Lyras systems in the juice, dairy and industrial fermentation industry are running in Spain, Australia, the Netherlands, the US, Denmark and Sweden. 

Sustainability advantages
Compared to other pasteurization solutions that require higher temperatures, Lyras UV technology can achieve a 60-90% energy reduction and a 60-80% water reduction.

“It enables us to reuse 100% of our brine and thereby eliminate the CO2 emitted from the salt retentate disposal. Additionally, we have reduced our energy and water consumption which is a significant step forward for our overall carbon footprint. From microfiltration, 10-12% of the salt is disposed of as retentate,” flags Vagn Clausen, packaging manager at Arla Foods Kruså.

Vagn Clausen, packaging manager at Arla Foods Kruså.“Cleaning has also become cheaper and easier, taking just 15 minutes. The solution is also considerably cheaper compared to cleaning microfiltration systems,” he continues.

The cold process used by Lyras alsoboosts food safety capabilities.

“The process is cold, so there is limited fouling too, plus without heat, particles don’t burn to the surface, which reduces the use of chemicals. The system is also designed for maximized food safety with no glass-food contact. Additionally, treating products with our UV may lead to a longer shelf life,” Riksted details.

When the liquid is directed past the light source, it is done in a controlled movement so that everything is illuminated to inactivate bacteria and other microorganisms.

Legal challenges
One of the broader challenges of introducing this new technology to a long-established industry is potential legal barriers. However, according to the business, these are limited as there is no specific regulation on an EU level for UV technology. 

Still, Germany has a special regulation in place that limits the use of Lyras technology and would require approval for its use. 

“We are involved in research projects for the full validation and legal approval of Raslysation [name of their UV light pasteurization technology] as an alternative to pasteurize milk and whey. We are working with local experts to assure legal approval outside the EU,” explains Riksted. 

“In the UK, regulations state that milk needs to be heated to a certain degree or for a specified amount of time before it can be sold in stores. Therefore currently, with milk, our solution can be implemented as an add-on. However, for products such as whey, brine, juice and enzymes, this is not an issue,” he continues. 

Lyras is currently developing equipment capable of processing larger quantities of product while being more compact and efficient. 

By Marc Cervera