Valorization of agro-food wastes by integrated membrane operations

Nowadays, the recovery and purification of bioactive molecules from food processing streams has gained a great interest in both producers and customers due to their anti-microbial, anti-oxidant or anti-carcinogenic activity. Therefore, efficient recovery of fine bioactive chemicals and/or production of added-value products appear to be a new frontier in agro-food waste valorisation. Membrane processes have become key separation technologies in the food processing industry over the last 35 years. Based on their intrinsic characteristics and key advantages over conventional methodologies, these processes offer also a great potential for the exploitation of agro-food wastes. This article discusses the use of membrane processes for the recovery, concentration and purification of compounds with target bioactivity from agro-food process streams and residues. Case studies related to the treatment of citrus, olive oil and artichoke by-products, investigated on both laboratory and industrial scale, are analyzed and discussed, highlighting technological advances and improvements over conventional methodologies.