Beer industry, membrane separation/application

Membrane operations have been extensively used in the food industry because they require less manpower, are more efficient, and have a shorter processing time than traditional separation techniqnes, so operational costs are considerably lower than traditional processes [105], For instance, membrane separation processes to clarify and concentrate liquids are less costly than conventional filtration and vacuum evaporation, justifying their application in this field [106]. The primary applications of membranes in the food industry are in the beverage (wine, beer, fruit juices, etc.) and dairy (whey protein concentration, milk protein standardization, etc.), processing industries in the processing of egg prodncts, to a lesser extent, and in water purification. 

Clarification of rough beer, vinegar and pasteurization of clarified beer by cross-flow ultrafiltration are also very common processes utilizing hollow fiber ultrafiltration. As seen in Table 1, an important number of membrane manufacturers specialize in medical and pharmaceutical applications. In pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, hollow fiber membranes are used for the concentration, separation, and purification of physiological activators such as antibiotics, vaccines, enzymes, proteins and peptides, as well as blood purification (hemofiltration). As a physical barrier for bacteria and viruses, membranes are also a popular option for the production of purified water for hospitals and pharmacies. 

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