Advancing Food By-Product Valorization: Membrane Technologies for Sustainable Protein Recovery

Membrane technology plays a crucial role in food by-product valorization, especially in protein recovery. Initially applied to whey protein extraction from cheese production, it enabled the concentration and purification of whey, leading to the production of protein concentrates and isolates. This success was extended to other animal proteins like blood plasma, fish proteins, and albumen.With a growing shift toward sustainable, plant-based proteins, membrane processes are increasingly important. Industrial-scale recovery of wheat and sunflower proteins has been achieved, while rapeseed protein recovery from oil production by-products is still in development. Recent research focused on optimizing membrane processes for rapeseed protein extraction from press cake in Southern Sweden. Microfiltration was used to remove fine particles, fat, and microbes, followed by ultrafiltration for protein concentration and purification. Additionally, membrane fouling and cleaning was studied using X-ray tomography.This work highlights the potential of membrane technology for valorizing both animal and plant-based food by-products, demonstrating its role in enhancing protein recovery and sustainability in the food industry.