Advanced Technologies in Wastewater Treatment: Food Processing Industry

Wastewaters generated from food production and agricultural activities are a source of environmental pollution due to their huge amount of nutrients, organic carbon, nitrogenous organics, inorganics, suspended and dissolved solids, and high biochemical and chemical oxygen demands. Advanced Technologies in Wastewater Treatment: Food Processing Industry provides an update on emerging technologies including oxidative and anaerobic processes (flotation, coagulation, sedimentation, filtration, adsorption, primary settling, secondary activated sludge, anaerobic digestion), ion exchange, membrane-based operations, adsorption/bio-sorption and advanced biological treatment to provide safe and clean water as well as to recover primary resources from food processing wastewaters. In addition, the integration of these technologies will be also considered in the logic of the process intensification strategy. Innovative and affordable solutions are proposed in the field of fruit and vegetable processing industry, fishing industry, meat and poultry industry, dairy production, oil and fat processing.

• Includes the latest developments on food wastewaters processing
• Describes emerging technologies for polluting control and recovery of useful products in different areas of agro-food production
• Looks at the integration of conventional and innovative procedures to decrease waste, energy and water use

Angelo Basile is a Full Professor and a leading authority in membrane science and technology. Since 2014, he has served as Full Professor in Systems, Methods and Technologies of Chemical Engineering Processes at CNR-ITM in Rende, Italy. His work covers hydrogen purification and production using membrane reactors, CO₂ capture, process intensification, and the treatment of industrial effluents with advanced membrane operations. Basile has edited many scientific books and authored numerous book chapters, bridging complex research with clear knowledge for engineers and scientists. Motivated by the role of AI/ML in accelerating membrane process design and automation, he supports integrating data-driven methods for smart plants and reaction–separation optimisation.

Alfredo Cassano has worked as a Researcher at CNR-ITM in Italy since 2000. Trained in Biology, he specializes in membrane science and technology, including conventional membrane processes, membrane contactors, and integrated membrane operations used for wastewater treatment and agro-food applications. He has led or directed research through numerous national MIUR-funded projects, as well as European Union international projects and industry collaborations. Cassano contributes to the scientific community through editorial-board roles and has co-authored several books, numerous journal articles, and chapters, alongside conference and invited work, and two national patents. His interests include recovering bioactive compounds from by-products, membrane distillation, osmotic distillation, and wastewater remediation, motivated by bridging membrane technology with practical AI/ML and real-time monitoring to advance circular economy resource recovery.

Carmela Conidi, Master Degree in Pharmacy at the University of Calabria (Italy) and PhD degree in methodologies for the development of molecules of pharmacological interest at the same university.

She performed her post-doctoral activity as visiting researcher at the “Instituto Universitario de Ingenieria de Alimentos para el Desarrollo ", University Polytechnic of Valencia (November 2011-May 2012; November 2012 -May 2013).

Nowadays, she is researcher at the Institute on Membrane Technology of the Italian National Research Council (CNR-ITM). Since 2005, her research activities focus on membrane science and technology in the field of pressure-driven membrane operations, membrane contactors and sustainable integrated membrane systems mainly applied to the clarification and concentration of fruit juices, treatment of industrial wastewaters, water purification and in the recovery of high added value compounds from agro-food products and by-products.

C.C. is author or co-author of more than 50 scientific contributions as international peer reviewed articles in ISI journals (h-index =22, Scopus database), 14 peer reviewed book chapters, and several contributions at National and International Conferences.

C.C. is Reviewer of different international ISI journals (Journal of Food Engineering, Innovative Food Science and Emerging Technologies, Journal of Cleaner Production, Journal of Membrane Science, Food and BioProducts Processing, etc.), co-editor of special Issue as well as Member of the Organizing of International Conferences and she made several presentations (also as invited and keynote lecture) in National and International Conferences.