US processors embrace membranes
membranes because their value to the food industry is just being
realized, says a new report.
Membranes are integral to processors in the dairy and beverage industries. These processors rely on the technology to filter products, recover processed materials and effectively manage wastewater.
The demands of the food and beverage industries are spurring an average annual growth rate of about 4.6 per cent in membrane sales. The report, conducted by BCC research, predicts that the membrane industry will reach the $230m mark in 2011. Currently the market is on pace to close the 2006 year at $185m, said BCC.
The most important trend is the use of membranes to manage wastewater. BCC notes that discharge regulations are shifting in the US, placing more responsibility on processors who used to rely on municipal treatment plants for waste treatment.
Steep sewage surcharges for processors are forcing plants to invest in membrane waste filtration. Treating wastewater by using membranes can also help processors recover process materials that would otherwise be lost.
The dairy industry remains the largest investor in membrane products, investing heavily in ultrafiltration, which is now essential to manufacturing milk, cheese and whey proteins.
Integration into the dairy industry was hampered at first because over time, proteins would get lodged in the pores on the membrane surface, making it less effective as a filter and less hygienic as a food processing aid.
However, innovations in ultrasound techniques have prevented porous membranes used in ultrafiltration from getting clogged, saving processors money and increasing product safety.
The beverage industry is also relying on membranes to replace functions formerly performed by chemical methods. Beverage processors are adopting membranes as an alternative to diatomaceous earth (DE) filtration systems, easing the burden on the environment as well, the report notes.
There is growing use of hybrid membrane applications in the beverage industry. Processors are combining membranes with other separation and purification methods including centrifugation, adsorption, evaporation, distillation, pasteurization and ion exchange. These techniques are used as complement to membrane methods and to further ensure the quality and safety of products as required by consumers and government agencies.
The BCC market report, Membrane Technology for Food and Beverage Processing, was made available industry-wide at the start of August.
