In a facility processing 150 tons of milk daily to produce 15 tons of Gouda cheese, the remaining milk components can be used for other products. Cheese production primarily utilizes milk’s fat and protein, leaving behind whey and other byproducts to be repurposed.

Byproducts and Their Quantities

Gouda production requires ~10 kg of milk per 1 kg of cheese. Thus:

• Input: 150,000 kg/day milk

• Output: 15,000 kg/day Gouda

• Remaining whey/skim milk: ~135,000 kg/day

These byproducts can yield:

A) Whey Products

• Liquid whey: 120,000–130,000 kg/day (high water content)

  • Whey protein concentrate: Dried into powder.

  • Lactose: Extracted for industrial uses.

  • Ricotta cheese: Made from residual whey proteins (~1–2 tons/day).

B) Butter & Cream

• Excess milk fat not used in Gouda can produce:

  • Butter: 1–3 tons/day (varies by milk fat content).

C) Buttermilk or Milk Powder

• Whey and skim milk can be processed into buttermilk or dried into powder.

Gouda Cheese Production in Turkey

Though Gouda is Dutch in origin, Turkey’s dairy farms—especially those with high-fat/protein milk—can produce it for hotels, gourmet markets, and export.

Key Challenges in Turkey:

• Milk quality: Requires high-fat/protein milk.

• Technology: Controlled fermentation and pressing.

• Market demand: White cheese and kaşar dominate, but specialty cheeses are growing.

Opportunities:

• Byproducts (whey, butter) add revenue streams.

• Export potential to Europe/Middle East.