The water purification process is fundamental to the manufacturing and operations of companies across a variety of industries. From medical services and agriculture to pharmaceuticals and the auto industry, water treatment makes up a critical part of the infrastructure that ensures South African businesses can operate at optimal levels. The food and beverage industry, in particular, is heavily dependent on reliable, sustainable and high-quality purified water.
There are very few industries that can compete with the food and beverage industry’s demand for water purification services. Producing consumable goods is a non-negotiable part of South Africa’s economy, but still faces standards and regulations that make producing foods and beverages very heavily controlled. This means that food and beverage companies should hold the most exacting standards from their water purification service providers.
A water purification process that meets these requirements and is suited to the specifications of a particular company helps food and beverage businesses produce products with the consistency their consumers expect. Whether you are producing goods that include water as a key ingredient or selling bottled water for mass consumption, the level of water purity will be a determining quality and success of those goods.
Cleaning, wastewater treatment, decontamination, cooling and heating, cooking and onsite water usage are just some of the additional ways that food and beverage companies are using water purification processes. Whatever the requirements, the services provided for these businesses need to be consistent and dependable to keep up with the regulatory standards of the industry. Let us look at how water purification solutions are utilised by food and beverage companies:
Water Purification for Food Production
Water, as you can imagine, is a very common ingredient that is used in the cooking, manufacturing and production of an endless variety of food products. Whether as a direct ingredient or as part of the cooking process, water is critical to the making of most foods we eat. As such, the treated water used for producing foods for market will need to be of a very high quality, taste and consistency.
Meeting government requirements, industry regulations and consumer expectations mean that owners and managers know exactly what they need from their water purification partners. This extends beyond regulatory requirements; food companies will expect their purified water to taste good and be appropriately softened. Pure water as an ingredient is not all they need specific water types to operate, they also require water for cleaning, machinery and personnel use.
Water Purification for Beverages and Bottling
Bottled water and most beverages will require processed water as an ingredient or as the product, itself. Most beverages will use tap water from their local municipality to start their production. After this, they will treat that tap water through one of several processes. These purification methods improve the water being used by removing any hardness, heavy metals, microorganisms or unwanted minerals that could alter the taste a critical ingredient.
Whether the purified water, in question, is intended for bottling and direct consumption or if that water is being used to produce other beverages, the composition and taste of the water will be critical to the final product. Companies will add their own secret combinations of minerals, carbonation, sugars, syrups, flavourings and food colouring to make all of the many beverages we know and love.
Bottled (Purified) Water Compared to Tap Water
If bottled waters and tap waters usually come from the same source, the question remains: why does bottled water end up tasting so much better than tap water? It comes down to the purification processes used and the mineral composition of the water. Water purification solutions will use one or several water purifications, sterilisation, softening, or filtration methods to change tap water composition to make it tastier, safer and purer.
Common Purification Processes Used in the Food and Beverage Industry
There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to water purification services for the food and beverage industry. Each company and each product will have its own requirements that give products their unique flavour and essence – and this includes the water treatment. There are three main water treatment processes that are used in the food and beverage industry, these are: membrane systems, media filtration and distillation processes.
Membrane Systems – these systems include processes, such as microfiltration, ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis and are known for their purity, taste and reliability for producers of consumable products.
Media Filtration: these treatments include processes, such as sand and multimedia, activated carbon and oxidation processes and are used in many commercial and industrial operations.
Make sure to sample all types of water used and to ensure the treatment processes used for your business will help manufacture the best final product possible. Knowing what purification processes will work best, in your part of the food and beverage industry, could be the difference between you and your nearest competitors.
Whatever your company’s water purification needs are, Vicol offers industry-leading custom turnkey water purification solutions for all industries across South Africa, including custom designs, manufacturing, system installation, maintenance and delivery. Our services are conducted by experts in the field and always 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.
