We invite you to our new Viva la Gaia online store. For a start, we introduced the personal care product collection "My Whey", based on fermented whey. These are hypoallergenic products, completely without added dyes and aromas.

We hope that soon we will be able to upgrade the offer with new products containing high-value bioactive ingredients obtained from interesting natural sources, such as whey and various plant materials.

You can also find some other exciting foods and cosmetics in the Viva la Gaia store's offer:
"Yummy!" gluten-free millet pasta with added fibre;
"Spice it up!" unrefined sugars;
"Yummy!" Gofio - flour of toasted whole grains of oats and corn to prepare excellent dishes without cooking;
"Spice it up!" unrefined salts;
"Tummy Goodie!" soluble and insoluble fibre as an addition to home-prepared meals;
"Knock Knock!" solid cosmetics made without water, fantastic for travel and at home for everyone who cares about the environment.

We have prepared a wide range of recipes for ideas on using the products.

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Viva la Gaia – Feel the knowledge!

Partners in the project LIFE for Acid Whey and LAKTIKA received the following awards in the field of whey processing:

SILVER AWARD: The team of the University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Biotechnology and Faculty of Pharmacy consisting of: Diana Paveljšek, Timeja Planinšek Parfant, Nika Osel, Robert Roškar, Bojana Bogovič Matijašić for the invention Using acid whey as a by-product of the dairy industry for the production of vitamin B12.

BRONZE AWARD: University of Ljubljana team, Faculty of Pharmacy, composed of Mirjana Gašperlin, Maja Bjelošević Žiberna, Mirjam Gosenca Matjaž, Blaž Grilc for the invention Cosmetology and the use of whey: contribution to the circular economy.

BRONZE AWARD: The ARHEL d.o.o. team, composed of: Maja Zupančič Justin, Maja Čič, Tinkara Rozina, Tinkara Vardjan, Tjaša Prevc, for the invention Process of obtaining stabilized and microbiologically inactivated products obtained by growing kefir grains in whey.

BRONZE AWARD: ARHEL d.o.o. team, composed of Maja Zupančič Justin, Maja Čič, and Tinkara Rozina, for the invention of the process of making a sprinkler to accelerate the fermentation processes of organic waste.

A SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD for the contribution to the field of development activities in the circular economy for 2022 was received by the ARHEL d.o.o. team in cooperation with the Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology of the University of Maribor, composed of Maja Zupančič Justin, Marko Kete, Maja Čič, Tinkara Vardjan, Irena Petrinić, Hermina Bukšek.

You can read more about the organization of the competition on the SRIP pages.

We are pleased about the achievements, which are a sign of committed work on development projects!

At the following link, you can download the poster presenting the results of growing kefir grains in acid and sweet whey. 

We presented the results at the 44th International Symposium of Dairy Experts.

We are proud of our girls who won the first prize for the presented poster.

Diana Paveljšek presented the contents of the LAKTIKA and LIFE for Acid Whey projects at the 11th Central European Congress on Food and Nutrition with the subtitle "Food, technology and nutrition for healthy people in a healthy environment".

The presentation can be downloaded from the following link.

In both projects, several possibilities for the reuse of whey in high-value-added products were demonstrated. For example, whey has been successfully used to produce probiotic biomass and metabolites such as nisin, vitamin B12, or kefir grains. A pharmaceutical formulation with enteric-coated pellets containing lactoferrin has been developed. Separation of IgG and LPO by cation chromatography using monolith columns was first optimised in the laboratory and later on a pilot scale, while α-lactalbumin was isolated from the remaining fraction by selective precipitation. The use of the protein-rich fractions as food or feed supplements and the production of the starter for organic waste treatment were also tested. Whey fractions were successfully incorporated into cosmetic products. Finally, cascade approaches of the whey treatment were proposed in order to obtain high-added value products and to approach as much as possible the goal of zero waste. The results obtained form the basis for further development of new functional foods and dietary supplements based on whey.

As part of our second development project in the field of whey (LAKTIKA), an interesting review article on the whey protein lactoferrin was published in 2021, which you can read at the following link.

On this link to our website, you can see all the presentations of the final
conference of the LIFE for Acid Whey project, as well as the proceedings of the
conference.

In the week between 31 May and 4 June 2021, Arhel promoted a new LACTOPRO product. The promotion of the product took place in the Gašperlin Garden Center, where we presented a new product to all enthusiasts for gardening, healthy vegetable production and separate collection of organic waste. The LACTOPRO starter, developed as part of the LIFE for acid Whey project, is primarily intended for the so-called Bokashi technique of composting organic waste from the household. You can read more about the development of the starter and how to use it on our website.

The webinar gave us an opportunity to tell our story on developing greener products from acid whey for waste reduction, with the EU LIFE Programme's support. Our story is also included in the leaflet as a good practice.
The recording of the event is available at the following link.
Please find the speakers’ presentations here.
Moreover, the leaflet “Green Perspectives in Food Production” is published on the website of SMEunited.

At the conference, we presented a poster entitled "Acid whey as a growth medium for probiotics and lactic acid bacteria". In the poster, we presented the results of our research showing that acid whey can also be a suitable growth medium for the cultivation of probiotics and lactic acid bacteria and the production of their metabolites such as nisin and vitamin B12. With this, we have shown a new possibility of further use of acid whey, which can reduce the waste generation in the dairy industry.

The FEMS (Federation of European Microbiological Societies) web conference in cooperation with the Serbian Society for Microbiology took place between 28 and 31 October 2020.

You can download a poster presented at the conference entitled "Nisin production in acid whey with Lactococcus strains".

In laboratory and pilot tests, researchers at the Institute of Dairy Science and Probiotics demonstrated successful growth of lactococci and nisin production, confirming the possibility of alternative use of acid whey to obtain new products with high added value.

The event was organized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food, the European Center for Peace and Development, the European Food Technology Network and GRM Novo mesto - Center for Biotechnology and Tourism. The event took place online between 15 and 16 October 2020.

Here you can see the conference program and an abstract of our presentation entitled "Use of whey as a raw material for the production of high value products".

The event, organized by EASME, took place between 6 and 9 October 2020. The presentation of the project was on 7th October 2020 as part of the food section. All the presentations are available at the following link.

 At the virtual Congress of the Slovenian Microbiological Society, we presented the results of pilot studies of nisin production and two methods of its isolation. Nisin was obtained by culturing lactococci in a residual acid whey from which whey proteins were partially removed. Nisin is a bacteriocin produced by lactococci and due to its stability and broad antimicrobial activity it is a natural preservative used in the food industry.

Poster title: Production of nisin in protein depleted acid whey and comparison of two isolation methods by HPLC.

The event, which took place on 10 September 2020 in Celje, brought together experts from the research and industrial environment who are active in various ways in the field of the circular economy and Industry 4.0.
All presentations at the event, including the presentation of the LIFE for Acid Whey project, can be viewed at the following link.

The aim of this study was to characterize the properties of lactoferrin (LF) obtained in a process developed for its isolation from acid whey derived from the production of fresh curd cheese, using a unique technology of ion-exchange chromatography on CIM® monolithic columns. The freeze-dried lactoferrin samples produced on the pilot plant (capacity 1 m3) were examined for the purity, iron-binding capacity, antibacterial activity, and pH- and temperature-stability. Apo-LF inhibited several tested strains (enterobacteria, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus salivarius) except clostridia, lactic acid bacteria, and bifidobacteria. Sample of LF intentionally saturated with Fe3+ lost its antibacterial activity, indicating the involvement of mechanisms based on depriving bacteria of an iron source. All samples, regardless of the iron-saturation level, exhibited stability in pH range 4.0 to 11.0. LF with higher iron content (A-value = 41.9%) showed better thermal stability. Heat treatment up to 72 °C/3 s did not reduce antimicrobial activity against E. coli O157: H7 tox-. Higher purity (above 91%), higher iron-binding capacity and higher inhibitory activity against E. coli O157: H7 tox- compared to some similar products from the market was observed. These results demonstrate a high potential of monolithic ion-exchange chromatography for industrial processing of acid whey as a source of LF that can be used in new products with high-added value. The upscaling of the process is ongoing on a demonstration plant (10–30 m3/day capacity).

The article entitled “Characterization of Lactoferrin Isolated from Acid Whey Using Pilot-Scale Monolithic Ion-Exchange Chromatography” is available at the following link.

At the event, Arhel presented his multi-year development activity, which has largely taken place through LIFE-supported projects.
You can view the event at the following link.

Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia - The Chamber of Agricultural and Food Companies organized a presentation of innovation in the agri-food sector. We presented the project at the FUTURE FOOD exhibition, with a particular focus on interactive solutions and products from researchers and students, which was shown to the public between November 11 and December 20, 2020.

In November 2019, Jernej Oberckal, PhD, Institute of Dairy Science and Probiotics, prepared a lecture for students of the Master's Degree in Food Science on the topic of Bioactive peptides in milk. Project contents and activities are thus actively transposed into the educational process. In addition to informing students with organized lectures, we also involve them in research work with graduate and master's theses.

In the context of the diverse two-day conference program we had two poster presentations:
- Use of whey from dairy industry for the production of starter cultures and antimicrobial metabolites, Diana Paveljšek s sod.
- Use of whey from dairy industry as a source of valuable bioactive proteins, Jernej Oberčkal s sod.
As a part of the Panel Discussion on Ongoing Projects and Internationalization in Circular Economy we had a lecture with the presentation of two projects on whey utilization, LIFE for Acid Whey and LAKTIKA.

We presented our results as part of the latest scientific findings on the functionality of proteins in milk and whey.

The results were presented with two posters entitled: Characterization and assessment of biological activity of lactoferrin isolated from acid whey using monolithic ion-exchange chromatography
and Quantification of lactoferrin and lactoperoxidase in different types of whey.

The research results demonstrate high quality and biological activity of the lactoferrin obtained during the test production phase and thus the high potential of the ion-exchange monolithic chromatographic columns used for protein isolation from whey. Acid whey has proven to be a promising medium for the isolation of lactoferrin, while sweet whey seems to have higher potential for the isolation of enzymatically active lactoperoxidase.

The demand for lactoferrin, a whey protein with many physiological functions, is increasing. The demand is followed by an increase in supply, especially in online stores. The lactoferrin produced during the test production at Arhel was compared to the Sigma standard and two products purchased from one of the largest online stores. An analysis performed using IE-HPLC (high-resolution ion-exchange liquid chromatography) showed that lactoferrin was only present in a minimal fraction of less than 2% in the purchased samples.
Due to antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, anticancer and other properties, lactoferrin is being used in the food and cosmetics industries (i.e. food supplements, milk formulas, oral care products) as well as in clinical diagnostics and human and veterinary medicines. In cow's milk, the concentration of lactoferrin is only about 150 mg/L, and its production is a high-tech process. Therefore, before purchasing and using the low-cost product accessible from online stores for your use, it is necessary to make sure of its quality.

Antimicrobial activity of lactoferrin samples obtained on a pilot plant at Arhel (10 samples) or purchased (3 producers) against Escherichia coli O157: H8 tox- was tested by microdilution method. The growth was followed by measuring the optical density at λ = 630 nm after 6-hour incubation at 37 °C. The figure shows inhibition of the growth of indicator bacteria due to the presence of lactoferrin, proportional to its increasing concentration. The inhibitory effect, which can also be expressed as MIC (minimal inhibitory concentration), was more pronounced in the samples of the Arhel than in three samples of other manufacturers, suggesting a higher biological (antimicrobial) activity of lactoferrin produced on Arhel. The MIC breakpoint was set at OD630 = 0.1, which means that the MIC is the lowest concentration sufficient to reduce the growth below OD630.

Demonstration plant is installed.

In December we completed the installation of a demonstration system for the extraction of lactoferrin from acid whey with a processing capacity of 10.000 liters of whey per day.

We presented the effectiveness of a selected technological approach for the use of acid whey for the extraction of bioactive proteins, as well as the results of the antimicrobial activity of lactoferrin derived from acid whey.

Conference abstracts and papers can be download from the following link.

At the conference we will present a lecture entitled "Acid whey as a source of lactoferrin and other bioactive proteins - LIFE for Acid Whey project".
The lecture will be on Friday, November 9, 2018.

You can find out more about the conference and program itself at the following link.

On October 26, 2018, will be held the 5th VIVUS Conference on on Agriculture, Environmentalism, Horticulture, Floristics, Food Production and Processing and Nutrition entitled "SOCIALLY ACCOUNTABLE USE OF NEW KNOWLEDGE AND ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES". 

The conference will be held  at Biotechnical Centre Naklo Higher Vocational College.

The representatives of Arhel d.o.o. and the Institute for Dairy Science & Probiotics will present the project results with two contributions, the "First results of “LIFE for Acid Whey” project – reuse of waste acid whey for the extraction of bioactive proteins with high added value" and "Antimicrobial activity of lactoferrin obtained from acid whey".

 You can see more about the conference on the following link.

Na Inštitutu za mlekarstvo in probiotike, Oddelku za zootehniko, Biotehniški fakulteti, Univerzi v Ljubljani iščemo raziskovalca za delo na projektu Reuse of waste acid whey for extraction of high added value bioactive proteins v okviru programa LIFE 2016 (koordinator Arhel projektiranje in inženiring d.o.o.), za čas trajanja projekta (do 30.6.2021). Delo na projektu bo vključevalo razvoj analitskih metod za beljakovine v različnih živilskih matriksih, predvsem tistih povezanih z mlekom (sirotka, mlečne frakcije,..), izolacije laktata in laktoze in optimizacijo sušenja in mikrokapsulacije. Zaželjene so izkušnje na področju analitike proteinov/peptidov s HPLC. Pogoj za zasedbo delovnega mesta je zaključen doktorat s področja kemije, biokemije, živilstva, biotehnologije ali sorodnih smeri.

Za več informacij se lahko obrnete na znan. svet. Bojano Bogovič Matijašić (bojana.bogovic@bf.uni-lj.si).

The conference took place on 8th and 9th May 2018. 

 On the second day (9th May) a networking event was taken place at the Brdo Congress Centre, Brdo pri Kranju, Slovenia where also LIFE for Acid Whey was present.

LIFE for Acid Whey project was also presented among the supported LIFE projects in the field of circular economy.

The whole EOL magazine (Specialised magazine for sustainable development) can be found on the following link.

One of the activities that we will pay attention to is networking with ongoing and completed LIFE projects. On the website, we have presented a set of active and completed LIFE projects and other projects co-financed by European funds, which are thematically related to our developmental field and technology. The presentation can be found under the "ABOUT THE PROJECT" tab. Related projects address various ways of rational water use in dairy industry, multiple possibilities of treating whey to reduce environmental footprint (wastewater treatment technology), its use as a medium for the production of other useful raw materials and the extraction of individual whey components.

We hope to exchange information as well as new research and development initiatives that can arise through networking. Other organisations and their projects are also invited to participate in the joint presentation.

Lactoferrin is a protein represented in high concentrations in breast milk and is formed and excreted by other cells of our body. Among other beneficial properties, lactoferrin plays an extremely important role in the immune defence of our body. In this case, its high iron binding capacity is of utmost importance. By locally binding the iron, it prevents bacteria binding to the surface of the tissues and thus their proliferation.

In spite the fact that iron is an extremely important mineral for our body, free iron acts as a catalyst in the formation of hydroxyl radicals, which are among the most active free radicals. By binding free iron, lactoferrin prevents the formation of free radicals. Regardless of the amount of lactoferrin saturation with iron, lactoferrin has an important regulatory role in the transport of iron into cells, the transfer of iron between the cellular organelles and the elimination of excesses iron from cells.

In the database of all the financed LIFE porojects, you can find official summary of the project LIFE fro Acid Whey.

The presentation of the project LIFE for Acid Whey can be seen also on the web pages of the project LIFE Slovenia, Ministry for the Environment and spatial planning