What Are the Applications of Nanofiltration Membrane in the Food and Beverage Industry?

Application of nanofiltration membrane is widely used in various industries such as medical care, environmental protection, and more. However, many people are unaware of its application in food, which makes use of nanofiltration membrane separation technology. What are the applications of nanofiltration membrane in the food and beverage industry?

Nanofiltration membrane in the food and beverage industry

The use of nanofiltration membrane separation technology in the food and beverage industry is relatively simple, mainly used for material concentration, separation, and decolorization treatment through the use of nanofiltration membrane technology.

In the milk whey protein concentrate industry, milk permeate and whey protein are by-products of cheese production, both of which contain high concentrations of protein that can be used in the production of cooked foods and ice cream. However, if applied to these foods without separation, the taste may be affected due to the presence of minerals. Therefore, it is necessary to use nanofiltration membrane separation technology to separate the protein substances from milk permeate and whey protein. Nanofiltration membrane technology can well retain calcium ions.

In the juice concentrate industry, juice concentrate was previously manufactured using distillation or freezing processes, both of which result in significant loss of flavor. Professionals attempted to use reverse osmosis technology for concentration and separation, but did not achieve results due to various reasons. Subsequently, researchers used nanofiltration membrane technology for high concentration juice concentrate, which not only achieved ideal separation effects, but also prevented the loss of beneficial substances, resulting in a higher quality product.

How to preserve nanofiltration membrane?

The industrial application of nanofiltration membrane is very extensive, used for separation, concentration, purification of biological products, pharmaceuticals, and the food industry. It is also used in end-of-treatment devices for blood processing, wastewater treatment, and ultrapure water preparation. When nanofiltration membrane is not in use, it should be sealed and stored in protective liquid to prevent nanofiltration membrane from being damaged, affecting its effectiveness. So, how to preserve nanofiltration membrane?

Short-term preservation

if nanofiltration membrane is temporarily stopped, it should be sterilized with reverse osmosis once, and the inlet valve, discharge valve, and regulating valve of nanofiltration membrane should be closed after adding sterilizing agent to the flushing water to maintain the sealing and sterilization effect of nanofiltration membrane. 

Long-term preservation

If nanofiltration membrane is stopped for a long time, sterilize it with reverse osmosis, then inject protective liquid into the nanofiltration membrane and seal it for storage.