Physical processes can include screening, clarification, and filtration. Each food processing wastewater stream's characteristics, flow rates, and regulatory requirements will determine which physical, chemical, and biological treatment processes will be needed. Treatment of food processing wastewater utilizes a combination of chemical, physical, and biological processes.

The wastewater contains various levels of bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens, depending on the food manufacturing process, type of food, and the facility. The concentration of organic matter in food processing wastewater varies with each type of processing, but generally the Volatile Suspended Solids (VSS) concentration for food processing wastewater is high due to the carryover of food product from processing into the wastewater stream. Kathleen Hung Li, in Handbook of Water and Energy Management in Food Processing, 2008 Publisher SummaryДЇood processing wastewater exhibits extreme variation in characteristics due to the amount of organic materials it carries. A key advantage of anaerobic digestion over other conventional methods is the ability to convert organic matter to energy-rich biogas that can be used as a fuel or upgraded for use in clean fuel vehicles.ДЄnaerobic digestion technology is an efficient, odor-free method to reduce waste volume, mitigate greenhouse gas associated with organic waste decay, and produce a valuable soil conditioner. The most widely used anaerobic treatment for food processing wastewater is anaerobic digestion. Among the aerobic and anaerobic treatments available, the most effective methods include activated sludge, biological filtration, anaerobic digestion, oxidation ponds, lagoons, and spray irrigation. The volume of wastewater also varies widely, some sources generating only a small amount and others one or more million gallons per day.Д«iological treatment is accepted as the most appropriate approach to food processing wastewater, the method used depending on the characteristics of the wastewater to be treated. In generally, food processing wastewaters have high ratios of volatile solids/ total solids (VS/TS), which indicate high energy content. The concentration of organic matter, varies between different types of food processing wastewater. Food processing wastewaters usually contain organic matter either in dissolved or colloidal form.

The wastewater may be highly acidic (pH 3.0) or highly alkaline (11.0). While suspended solids can be as high as 120 000 mg/L, in some wastes they almost completely absent. The biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) ranges from as low as 100 mg/L to as high as 100 000 mg/L. The characteristics of food processing wastewater are extremely varied. Wang, in Handbook of Water and Energy Management in Food Processing, 2008 27.1 IntroductionДЇood processing wastewaters are generated mainly from food-processing industries, food services and retail establishments. This chapter will provide strategies that can be used by industries to enhance the use of environmentally friendly technologies for food processing and enhance value addition. Environmental concerns related to food processing that require consideration, such as the use of fossil fuels and the disposal of residual matters of food processing, will have to be reviewed. The need for processed food is expected to increase even further when the global population increases further. The increase in global population during the past two centuries has made food processing one of the most deliberated subjects in the food value chain.

Some methods of food processing have been challenged in the recent years but food processing cannot be circumvented entirely because of the ever-growing human population that has to be nourished. Developing food processing technologies that are environmentally friendly and efficient can substantially contribute to the food value chain and to mitigating the energy crisis that the southern African region is experiencing. Alamu, Ackson Mooya, in Smart Technologies for Sustainable Smallholder Agriculture, 2017 AbstractДЇood processing and value addition are key steps in the food value chain.

Who created food processing methods