- 6 September 2006 -

Food & beverage membranes worth
US$230 million by 2011

Membrane sales for food and beverage processors will reach US$185 million in 2006, and at an average annual growth rate (AAGR) of about 4.6%, the market should reach the US$230 million mark by 2011, says a new technical market research report, Membrane Technology for Food and Beverage Processing (MST030B) from BCC Research.

According to the report, membrane manufacturers in the dairy processing sector have the largest installed capacity and still buy the greatest share of membrane products. Membrane equipment for this sector has become integral to manufacturing milk, cheese and whey proteins. Despite the market's age, there are still large growth applications in protein isolation and other separations.

An important trend for membranes in food and beverage manufacture relates to wastewater, the report goes on to say. As discharge regulations stiffen and sewage surcharges escalate, the industry is being forced to look for cost-effective new treatment technology, where it formerly relied on municipal treatment plants. This option is increasingly less available because of increasing pressure to comply with discharge rulings and fewer additions of treatment capacity. Wastewater treatment using membranes may also be applied to recover process materials that would otherwise be lost.