A review on membrane separation processes focusing on food industry environment-friendly processes

Food processing industries have led to several environmental impacts due to their high water and energy consumption, as well as soil and water bodies' contamination through improper waste disposal. Membrane Separation Processes (MSP) emerge as an important alternative to enable the adoption of sustainable processes by food industries, since satisfying the requests of innovative processes and equipment design, such as smaller, cleaner, more energy-efficient processes (mild conditions) without the usage of chemical agents. Membrane-based processes fulfill these requirements, and their potential has been broadly recognized in the last few years. This review provides a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the application of MSP in sustainable processes in the different segments of the food industry over the last 10 years. Waste and wastewater treatment, recovery of valuable compounds and water for reuse, and alternatives to high energy consumption processes were identified as sustainable processes in this context. One trend found is the potential for adding value to production chains by obtaining valuable compounds that have not been explored yet. As a perspective for future research, this review showed that it is advisable to implement MSP in different industrial environments in order to make current processes environmentally sustainable and less polluting.

Automated summary

Food processing industries have negative environmental impacts, and membrane separation processes are a sustainable alternative that can meet the needs of innovative processes and equipment design in the food industry. This review summarizes the application of membrane separation processes in the food industry over the past 10 years, and identifies waste treatment, recovery of valuable compounds, and alternatives to high energy consumption processes as sustainable processes. Future research should focus on implementing membrane separation processes in different industrial environments to make current processes more sustainable and environmentally friendly.