Making the most out of every litre of water

For many food producers, consumption of water and cleaning-in-place (CIP) chemicals has become an issue of growing importance. Especially in regions with a scarcity of clean drinking water, businesses must be increasingly mindful of the water they send down the drain, or potentially risk stiff penalties. The question is clear: how can you maximise the value of every litre of water used in production?

Filtration technologies offer potential to recover and re-use process water and cleaning chemicals. We have extensive experience developing and integrating membrane filtration solutions for food and beverage processing, which you can put to use for reducing the consumption of water, chemicals and other liquid resources in your factory. 

Improved resource efficiency with reverse osmosis membrane filtration

For liquid separation, reverse osmosis is the tightest possible membrane process. It concentrates total solids, allowing only water to pass through the membrane. All dissolved and suspended material is rejected, resulting in cleaned water that can be cycled back into your processes for further re-use. 

Glasses, milk and water

Water and product recovery in dairy processing

In many dairy applications, tap water is used for a “first flush” to clean equipment like tankers and silos. This results in “white water”, which still contains a high volume of viable product. With reverse osmosis, you can separate milk solids from the white water, enabling recovery of both the product and the water.

 

Our membrane filtration solutions make it possible to recover up to 95% of milk solids from the white water, which can then be used for processing everything from ice cream and cheese to yoghurt and other fermented products. Depending on quality requirements, the recovered water can be used many applications throughout your plant.

Three glasses with liquid

Reducing tap water needs in beverage production

In the beverage industry, it’s common that a plant will produce small volumes of several SKUs, requiring frequent changeover. Water is used to empty the line, which results in a mix of water and product that is typically sent for disposal.

 

We can integrate high-pressure membrane filtration technologies that use reverse osmosis to recover that water for further re-use in applications throughout your plant. In this way, the solution reduces both effluent and your tap water intake needs, for an improved environmental footprint.

Nanofiltration technology for cost-saving CIP

With nanofiltration technology, it’s possible to separate out many types of molecules from a liquid. In dairy applications, for example, it can be used to filter out protein, lactose and other suspended solids, with water and certain target minerals passing through the nanofilter membrane.

Caustic CIP liquid recovery

Traditionally, spent caustic liquid that has been used to clean evaporators, dryers and UHT sterilisers in dairy applications is sent to the drain for disposal. With our nanofiltration technology, it’s instead possible to recover up to 90% of the caustic liquid used for CIP (cleaning-in-place), enabling significant reductions of both water and cleaning chemical consumption.

 

After final cleaning, the filter separates out dirt and remnants of the dairy products, allowing only water and caustic CIP chemicals to pass through. The recovered caustic liquid can then be used for pre-cleaning or even sent back to the central CIP station for future re-use. In this way, the solution helps you to optimise your CIP processes, reducing the amount of new cleaning chemicals and tap water needed for your plant.

Nanofiltration equipment
Case

What difference can filtration make on your environmental footprint – and your bottom line?

Mammen Dairies has been producing high-quality Danish cheeses for over a century. Today, they also sell whey protein as a valuable by-product of their production. We worked with them to integrate a reverse osmosis membrane filtration system to concentrate the whey, and thereby recover water from the process. As a result, the dairy has reduced tap water consumption by 143 tonnes daily – in addition to further environmental benefits.

 

Watch the video to learn more.

Case

What difference can filtration make on your environmental footprint – and your bottom line?

Mammen Dairies has been producing high-quality Danish cheeses for over a century. Today, they also sell whey protein as a valuable by-product of their production. We worked with them to integrate a reverse osmosis membrane filtration system to concentrate the whey, and thereby recover water from the process. As a result, the dairy has reduced tap water consumption by 143 tonnes daily – in addition to further environmental benefits.

 

Watch the video to learn more.

Explore more

Plant with direct uht

Making the most out of every kilowatt

Your water use is only half the story. It’s important to consider all utilities in your plant, and how they impact your environmental footprint. Discover state-of-the-art technologies for optimising your energy consumption through waste heat recovery as well as renewable energy sources.

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Utility optimisation - across your plant

Discover the benefits of taking a holistic approach to water, energy and cleaning chemical consumption throughout the whole of your factory.

Fss filtration equipment

Press release: Tetra Pak unveils new Factory Sustainable Solutions

‘Factory Sustainable Solutions’ offers Food and Beverage producers a tailored blend of state-of-the-art technologies and leading plant integration capabilities.

Rethinking resources

Food and beverage producers face growing challenges in energy, water, and waste management. Addressing them requires a combination of technology and food expertise, tailored to your operations. Our comprehensive portfolio of products and services, backed by decades of experience in food applications, can help you reduce your energy, water, and waste while simultaneously delivering cost benefits.

Discover other solutions

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Integrated food solutions & equipment

Integrated food solutions & equipment

Whether you produce dairy, juice or food, our end-to-end integrated food solutions can help you maximise efficiency and reduce your environmental footprint.

Integrated lines

Integrated lines

Integrated lines

From processing equipment to downstream technology, our integrated lines simplify production for a wide range of food and beverage products. Explore the range!

processing equipment

Processing equipment

Processing equipment

We provide complete solutions and equipment for dairy, cheese, ice cream, JNSD and other beverages, powder, plant-based, food and New Food.

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Service offerings

Service offerings

Explore service offerings that boost efficiency, optimise costs and ensure consistent product quality and food safety across your entire production process. 

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