A new analysis by Tetra Pak, highlighted by Asia Food Journal, reveals that modernising existing dairy processing lines can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 49%, offering a significant decarbonisation pathway without requiring full system replacements.
The independently reviewed Dairy Processing Impact Assessment (by the Carbon Trust) shows that targeted upgrades using already available technologies can deliver 40–49% emission reductions, with an average of 47%, alongside 45% lower water use and 57% reduction in product losses.
Tetra Pak notes that the dairy sector accounted for 2.7% of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2023, underlining the scale of the opportunity.
If implemented globally, such upgrades could cut emissions by 12.7 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent (MtCO₂e)—comparable to removing 3 million cars from the road—while advanced filtration and cleaning-in-place (CIP) recovery systems alone could save up to 455 million cubic metres of water annually.
Key solutions include electrified heat pumps to replace fossil-fuel boilers, integrated “OneStep” processing for UHT milk and yoghurt, and improved filtration systems to recover water and product losses.
The study emphasizes that these “market-ready” improvements not only enhance sustainability but also reduce operating costs and improve efficiency, though scaling adoption will depend on supportive policies and financial incentives. (Food and Drink Technology)
Source: Dairynews7x7 9th April, 2026 Read full story here
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