During the manufacture of different dairy products, the inevitable problem of utilization of by-products is encountered. Because of their unique and important nutrients available in the by-products, they have to be utilized in a proper manner considering the welfare of the general masses.

Conversion of edible nutrients into non edible substances will not augur well given the rampant malnutrition staring at the face of the impoverished developing countries.

The profitability of the dairying can be greatly improved by economically utilizing the dairy by--products and it can be considered as a prerequisite to profitable dairy business.

With the advancement in technology, the scope is wide open for creating newer channels of utilization of the by-products arising from dairy processing.

How will you define a dairy by-product?

A dairy by-product may be defined as a product of commercial value produced during the manufacture of a main product. The newly acquired economic importance of a by-product will make it a main product in the future.

Important by-products available from the dairy industry and their principles of utilization

S.No	Main Product	By Product	Processing method	Products Made
1	cream	Skim milk	Pasteurization	Flavoured milk
			Sterilization	Sterilized flavoured milk
			Fermentation	Cultured Buttermilk
			Fermentation and Concentration	Concentrated sour skim milk
			Concentration	Plain and Sweetened Condensed skim milk
			Drying	Dried skim milk or Skim milk powder or Non Fat Dry Milk (NFDM)
			Coagulation	Cottage cheese, Quarg, edible casein

2	Butter	Buttermilk	Fermentation and Concentration	Condensed buttermilk
			Concentration and drying	Dried buttermilk
			Coagulation	Soft cheese
3	Cheese, Casein, Channa, Paneer	Whey	Fermentation	Whey beverage, Yeast whey
			Concentration	Plain and sweetened condensed whey, whey protein concentrate, whey paste, lactose
			Drying	Dried whey
			Coagulation	Ricotta cheese
4	Ghee	Ghee residue	Processing	Sweetmeat, Toffee, Sweet paste