Whey protein production in Uganda

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In Uganda and similar developing countries there are currently two large food related challenges. One is that many people are still living in severe poverty and as a result suffer from malnutrition. The other is that mainly in the cities, access to unhealthy food and an inactive lifestyle has given rise to a significant increase in overweight and obesity.

The traditional Ugandan diet consist of a large portion of different carbs topped with beans or meat (for those who can afford it). It is however likely that this diet will change like it has in most developed countries. A higher share of protein as well as vegetables is more suitable for sedentary lifestyle. Nevertheless, there is a disadvantage of this diet that recently has been shed light on – the negative impact it has on the environment. Other sources of protein than meat is highly needed if the developing world is to follow the west when it comes to protein intake.

As an amateur boxer and fitness lover, I have started to consume protein powder as a healthy snack in between meals. My friends at different gyms in Uganda often ask me to bring protein powder for them when I travel from my home country and when I see the prices of these products in Uganda, I understand why! They are very expensive… I realized that the ingredients in protein powder is available everywhere in Uganda and that is how I came up with the idea of producing it locally.

The interest in fitness and a healthy lifestyle is now booming in big African cities like Kampala and Nairobi. Protein powder in different forms can be part of a diet helping the urban citizens reach their goals of a healthier lifestyle. And if produced locally, it could be afforded by a large share of the population. Protein powder can also be used to enrich the diet in schools, especially in government schools where most students are poor and suffer from malnutrition such as low protein intake.

As Uganda is a large producer of dairy product, this project will start with producing protein powder from whey, a rest product in cheese and yoghurt production. Later, the plan is to move on to include also more environmentally friendly plant based protein sources such as soy beans.

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