Management and utilization of food processing wastes

Large quantities of both liquid and solid wastes are produced annually by the food processing industry. These waste materials contain principally biodegradable organic matter and disposal of them creates serious environmental problems. Factors affecting the costs of waste disposal are the volume or hydraulic load and the strength or organic load. The waste loads at the processing plant can be reduced significantly through the use of new or modified processing methods and through in-plant treatment and re-use. A number of waste treatment processes are available to make the wastewater suitable for discharge. The most widely applied processes are biological treatment, impounding in storage lagoons, and land irrigation. Most solid wastes are disposed of by returning them to the land. The key to minimizing the disposal cost is to remove excessive moisture from the wastes. Many opportunities exist for better utilization of food processing wastes. A variety of processes have been developed for converting the waste materials into bio-fuels, food ingredients, and other valuable bio-products.