As you can imagine, water is a critical component in all aspects of the food and beverage industry. Purified water is essential for effective processing, manufacturing, packaging, operations and cleaning measures in the production of foods and beverages. The lifestyle and health implications of the food and beverage industry on consumers means that they are highly regulated and the industry insists on the highest standards of water quality.
Food and beverage companies require reliable and sustainable water treatment systems – or access to trustworthy water purification partners – to ensure their products meet regulatory standards. Industrial water treatment solutions are tailored to the specific requirements of all food and beverage businesses. This can be in the form of direct purchase of different water types or the integration of a water purification system into the production processes of that manufacturer.
Let us dive a little deeper into water purification for the food and beverage industry and how companies benefit from finding the right water treatment partner:
What Type of Water Purification Methods Are Prevalent in the Food and Beverage Industry?
From machine cleaning and bottled drinking water to the incorporation of water into food and beverages, there are a multitude of critical applications for purified water for companies producing edible or drinkable goods. Some of the most common water purifications methods used are: filtration, reverse osmosis, UV treatment and deionisation.
Filtration
The most common and fundamental water treatment process is filtration. Filtration often functions as a preliminary step to remove particular solids, bacteria or chemicals from the water before reverse osmosis, ultraviolet treatments or deionisation are conducted. Filtration is performed in conjunction with other methods to create potable water or to treat wastewater runoff and remove solid and organic waste to ensure it is safe for the surrounding environment.
Reverse Osmosis
Reverse osmosis is a very popular and effective water purification method that uses a semi-permeable membrane to separate a variety of unwanted chemicals and bacteria. This membrane prevents contaminants from passing through and turns unpotable water into clean, usable and potable water for the food and beverage industry’s production processes.
Ultraviolet Water Treatment
Ultraviolet (UV) water treatments utilise UV rays to kill pathogens found in water, like bacteria, viruses and protozoa. Many traditional water purification methods would make use of harsh chemical processes, while UV treatments work without any harsh substances. UV treatments are known to improve the flavour and quality of drinking water, as well as reducing the potential for contamination in consumer goods or the wastewater they produce.
How Are These Water Purification Processes Used by Food and Beverage Companies?
Food and beverage companies are heavily dependent on various water purification processes and pure water applications. Produce, drinks, products, factory cleaning and the wastewater they produce will all require some form of water treatment. Purified water is central to the safety and functionality of the food and beverage industry’s operations.
The evolution of water treatment technologies has transformed the food and beverage industry, utilising modern water purification processes for a variety of applications that include:
- Potable or Drinking Water
- Food and Beverage Ingredients, Mixing and Production
- Clean-in-Place (CIP) and Sanitize-in-Place (SIP) Processes
- Wastewater Decontamination and Reduction
- Beverage and Ice Filtration
- Hot Water Treatments
- Process Water Purification
- Production Utility Water
- Dishwashers, Steamers and Other Cleaning Appliances
All of the aforementioned water treatment solutions are critical for the food and beverage industry, as well as for other hospitality, medical, agricultural, manufacturing and pharmaceutical sector applications. These purification methods can be customised to suit a variety of businesses and business types that require water treatment capabilities.
How Water Purification Benefits the Food and Beverage Industry
As we have covered, water quality and purity are crucial to the food and beverage industry – among others – and its various production processes. Industry leaders are becoming more and more aware of the importance of instituting safe, consistent and reliable water purification systems, understanding the benefits that accompany them:
Quality Control
Water treatment systems have been developed by engineers and experts that have created solutions that can be calibrated to remove all types of unwanted organic and inorganic materials. These systems have built-in analytic tools that offer quality control and assurance for all potable, waste and feed water.
Increasing Return on Investment (ROI) and Cost-Effectiveness
By utilising the latest water purification technology, food and beverage companies are able to access high-quality water using more efficient methods that offers a high ROI. Customised high-end water treatment solutions to a particular business mean that they can become more cost-effective, while increasing the production possibilities.
Improve Operational Sustainability and Minimise Wastewater
With the help of integrated water treatment systems, food and beverage companies can reduce their wastewater and improve their operational sustainability. These systems are built to last and can be customised to suit all water purification needs, such as production, cleaning and wastewater runoff. Resource sustainability, wastewater reduction and environmental conscientiousness are just the beginning of the benefits.
Digital Integration and Floor Management
The recent advances in water purification methods have only been bolstered by the incredible technological and digital innovations proliferating all industries. Food and beverage companies are no exception to this; benefitting from “smart systems” that monitor, collect and analyse operational data to help companies refine their production processes and digitise floor management.
Vicol delivers industry-leading custom turnkey water purification solutions for South Africa’s food and beverage industry, including custom designs, manufacturing, system installation and maintenance. Our services are conducted by experts and prioritise customer service delivery, affordability and reliability.
For more information about our outstanding water purification solutions and how we can help support your business, contact Vicol today.
