Wastewater Treatment for the Food Industry: Sustainable Solutions for Food Manufacturers

Introduction

The food industry in general and food processing industry, in particular, produce wastewater with a high content of organic matter, fats, oil, greases (FOG) and nutrients including nitrogen, and phosphorus. This heavy pollution burden can overload conventional municipal treatment systems, resulting in pollution and violation of regulations. In addition, such food processing plants are subject to seasonal production peaks and struggle to adhere to treatment criteria on a regular basis.

To combat these problems, Amalgam Biotech designs durable, automatic Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) for the food industry. These plants not only efficiently clean wastewater, they also capture valuable resources like clean water, energy, and fertilizers. In this post we’re going to consider how food manufacturers deal with their own specific waste water challenges – and the innovative, sustainable cost-effective solutions that Amalgam Biotech offer.

The Problems of Waste Water in the Food Industry

A large volume of wastewater is produced by the food processing plants that may be variable in its composition, particularly during peak production periods. Here are a few of the most pressing problems facing food companies:

High Organic Load: Food processing wastewater is high in Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) which can consume the dissolved oxygen in the receiving water and affect aquatic life.

FOG and Solids: The fats, oils and grease (FOG) present in wastewater that adheres to and combines with food solids to cause clogs in sewers, among other drain obstructions that lead to expensive repair and maintenance.

Nutrient Pollution: By dumping high levels of nitrogen and phosphorous through wastewater, we can contribute to the eutrophication of water bodies, where algae becomes overgrown and damages ecosystems.

Regulations: Food processing plants are already mandated to clean immediately to prevent polluting water sources. Not meeting these criteria can lead to other penalties such as fines and business closures.

Unmanaged, wastewater from the food industry can be damaging to both the environment and the balance sheet. Nevertheless, by implementing appropriate processing solutions, they can effectively and permanently deal with these problems.

Food Industry WWTP Specializations

At Amalgam Biotech, we provide tailored waste water treatment solutions which are tailored to the specific requirements of the food sector. Our technologies are designed to treat food and beverage wastewater efficiently and cost-effectively, recapturing and reusing it for process water.

Dairy/Poultry WWTPs

Dairies and poultry generate wastewater high in protein and fat which must be treated accordingly. Our anaerobic pressure digesters (APDs) and sequencing batch reactors (SBRs) are well-suited to these industries. “Anaerobic systems help us to bio-degrade organic substances in wastewater and produce biogas that we can recover and use as renewable energy in our factory,” add Wen. SBRs are an excellent way to treat wastewater and meet the regulations to have the water as cleaned as possible.

Beverage Plant Systems

Beverage processing operations discharge wastewaters containing high levels of sugars, carbohydrates and organic substances. The plants need systems capable of dealing with high organic loadings and a way of reclaiming valuable nutrients. High-Rate Activated Sludge – Sugar-Containing Wastewater At Amalgam Biotech, we treat high-rate activated sludge with sugar and recover the phosphorus for reuse. This is particularly important in the light of phosphorus recovery that helps in nutrient pollution abatement and contributes to the sustainability of beverage plants.

Pune’s Food Park Model

Amalgam Biotech has installed a Common WWTP at Chakan MIDC (Maharashtra) to treat waste water from 12 Food Factories. With a capacity of 15 mld the plant generates 4 tons with an organic fertilizer per day which has helped reduce operational costs and also cost of waste disposal. In using this kind of decentralized system, we’re able to assist food manufacturers cut costs on waste water management and adhere to environmental regulations.

Recent Advances in Food Processing Technology for Treatment of Food Industrial Wastewater

Amalgam Biotech remains at the forefront of technology in wastewater treatment for the food industry. Our operations feature the technologies that save on waste, reduce emissions and conserve resources. The most encouraging technologies currently emerging include the following:

Thermophilic Anaerobic Digestion

At the same time, the thermophilic AD process uses high temperature reactors (about 55°C) that promote decomposition of fats and other organic matter. Twice as much organic matter can be treated in the same volume of the plant in about half the time it takes for methanisation at a temperature of 30-39°C, and this makes the system particularly suitable for food processing plants with seasonal production peaks. Thermophilic digestion also results in the production of biogas that can be converted into a source of renewable energy, thus allowing a facility to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions.

Forward Osmosis (FO)

Forward Osmosis (FO) process has been described as a membrane process that concentrate waste water stream and generate water for irrigation. This decreases the amount of wastewater to be treated and leaves a high quality water used for irrigation in agriculture. FO is especially beneficial in food processing facilities with high volumes of wastewater, and where reuse in non-potable processes is also needed.

Nutrient Recovery Wheels

An advanced technology that is being used to extract nutrients such as phosphorus from wastewater is the Nutrient Recovery Wheel. These systems freeze struvite (a mineral that is made up of phosphorus) from wastewater, which can be turned into high quality fertilizer. This practice not only cuts nutrient pollution, but also gives food manufacturers something they can use: a valuable byproduct that, it turns out, helps them contribute to a circular economy.

Case Study: Reducing Odour from a Food Processing Plant

Odour emissions remain one of the major challenges for food processing plants. At Amalgam Biotech, we were commissioned to resolve this problem at a food processing unit in Pune. The plant, which suffers greatly in terms of odour, was overwhelmed by organic load and food waste in its wastewater. We had to implement a complete odour control system based on both biological treatment and advanced filtration. This installation dramatically reduced odours released up to 95%, bringing the facility into compliance with local air quality standards and significantly improved quality of life for its neighbours.

This case study demonstrates our capability to address complicated environmental problems in the food sector, and it’s a way of complying and bettering upon sustainability whilst also streamlining work processes.

Check our full Reducing Odour from a Food Processing Plant case study.

Advanced Technology to Treat Wastewater of Food Industry in Future

The food industry is changing, and so is wastewater treatment. These directions serve to improve performance, material recovery and sustainability:

AI-Driven Load Forecasting

AI Is Transforming Wastewater Treatment AI technologies are transforming the wastewater treatment process by enabling real-time process monitoring and predictive analytics. Systems powered by AI can predict seasonal waste spikes and maximize treatment capacity, ensuring that wastewater treatment plants run at maximum efficiency. This feature allows food processors to account for larger waste loads during peak production periods so as to avoid system overloading and to meet discharge standards.

Decentralized Pod Systems

Distributed pod systems are self-contained, plug and play systems that provide local treatment of wastewater. They are suitable for large food parks or premises with several production areas. By treating wastewater at the source, decentralized systems save on the cost of running and maintaining large central treatment facilities, and physical infrastructure to transport the water to the metric poop ton plants.

Carbon Credit Integration

Food service market Food industry wastewater treatment systems have the potential to produce carbon credits by converting waste solids into biogas that can be used as a fuel source. With a worldwide emphasis on sustainability, food brands are seeking ways to profit from their environmental work. Companies can create income from waste by capturing and utilizing biogas (carbon credits), lowering the cost of waste water treatment even more.

At Amalgam Biotech, we’re incorporating these forward-thinking systems into our wastewater treatment systems to support food producers to keep up with industry trends, and improve cost-effectiveness at the same time.

Conclusion

Food and beverage industry wastewater is much more than a waste stream - it's a valuable resource that can be treated, reused, and reintroduced into the process. Using Amalgam Biotech’s customised water treatment methods for food factories, organic loads can be removed, valuable resources such as water and energy can be reclaimed and compliance with environmental standards can be maintained. Our advanced technologies like thermophilic anaerobic digestion, forward osmosis, and nutrient recovery wheels, offer integrated and sustainable solutions to help food producers save money and minimize their environmental impact.

Ready to change the way you treat your wastewater? Visit Amalgam Biotech to discover our tailored solutions for the food industry and start your journey to a more sustainable future.