Membrane Filtration

Advancements in Food Analysis

Membrane technology is a processing

RO theoretically allows only water to

and separation method used in food industries.

permeate (Le et al., 2014).

Principle involves the approximate

It involves a thin layer of semi-permeable

layer

of

semi-permeable

material

that

separates substances when a driving force is

applied

across

the

membrane.

In

the

separation system, the introduced feed is

separated into retentate or concentrate, the
faction that is retained by the membrane, and
permeate or filtrate, the one that passes
through.

This

increasingly

filtration
used

microorganisms,

for

particulates

technique

is

removal

of

and

natural

organic material. The four pressure-driven

membrane processes includes microfiltration
(MF), ultrafiltration (UF), nanofiltration (NF),
and reverse osmosis (RO) (Le et al., 2014).
MF is used for separation of suspended
particles and microorganisms from soluble
components in feed. Bacteria, spores and fat
globules are retained in the membrane and are
released in the retentate outlet. UF separates
soluble macromolecules such as protein and
peptides, just like casein, whey proteins and
lactose. NF is for partial demineralization and
concentration. It allows monovalent salts to
pass through while retaining multivalent salts.

particle sizes of substances to be separated and

the cut-offs of different liquid filtration
techniques. Sizes are importantly considered
to guide the application of pressure-driven
membrane processes since pore sizes of
membranes decrease in order from MF to RO.
The

separation

principle

of

membrane

filtration depends mainly on pore sizes,

charges of the molecules/solutes and affinity
for the filtering membrane (Le et al., 2014).
Membrane filtration is commercially
applied in dairy and beverage industries.
Membrane processing has been used in dairy
products since its introduction in the food
industry (1960s) to clarify, concentrate and
fractionate (Lipnizki, 2010). According to
Glimenius (1979) and Merin and Daufin
(1990), membrane filtration can be used in the
separation and fractionation of milk fat
globules. Fat in milk, in the form of globules,
are separated from whole milk based on
density differences using a cream separator or
a centrifuge. However, instead of using a
cream separator, it is possible to use MF to
Membrane Filtration

separate fat globules from whole milk.

milks, powdered skim milk, and frozen dairy

Goudedranche et al. (2000) and Michalski et

products without reducing the viability of five

al. (2006) conducted studies that carried out

common

the use of 5 m MF to fractionate milk fat

Staphyloccocus

globules based on their diameter. According to

faecalis,

them, yogurt and cheese products made with

Salmonella typhimurium. They also found out

smaller fat globules may have finer structure

that flow direction through the filter was an

and other advantageous properties.

Research
studies
illustrate

important factor filterability of dairy products.

the

downstream processing line of milk and the

corresponding membrane processes involved
at each level. This serves as a guide for the
application

of

membrane

processes

in

replacing conventional processing methods in

the development of new food products or

species

of

bacteria:

aureus,

Streptococcus

E.

coli,

Streptococcus
faecium

and

This makes MF an efficient alternative to heat

treatment for removal of bacteria from liquid
to food. Also, removal of bacteria and spores
from skim milk is one of the most important
applications of MF in dairy industry. It is a
technique referred as cold pasteurization (Le

improvement of existing foodstuffs (Walstra et

et al., 2014).
A process developed by Alfa-Laval,

al., 2006). Other applications of membrane

called Bactocatch, is a milder pasteurization

filtration in dairy industry includes removal of

method that employs a MF membrane of 1.4

bacteria and spores from milk, whey and

m. Its objective is to retain as much as

cheese brine, milk protein standardization,

possible bacteria and spores while letting milk

concentration and fractionation, whey protein

components pass through the membrane

concentration

whey

(Holm et al., 1984; Le et al., 2014). In the

demineralization, cheese manufacturing, etc.

work of Elwell and Barbano (2006), MF of

(Lipnizki, 2010).
In microbiological aspect, membrane

skim milk with a 1.4 m resulted in a 3.79 log

and

fractionation,

filtration technique was used to permit

isolation and enumeration of microorganisms
from test samples of certain foods in a study
conducted by Peterkin and Sharpe (1980).
They also developed methods, such as
incubation with protease or Tween 80, to

reduction in total bacteria. A further reduction

of 1.84 log led to a total of 5.63 log was
observed

after

subsequent

minimum

pasteurization. Employing MF in the process

of reducing bacteria maintain the flavor and
high nutritional value of milk due to less
thermal impact (Le et al., 2014). Similar

improved the membrane filterability of liquid

Membrane Filtration

application was done in the production of

conventional fruit juices clarification process.

semi-hard and hard cheeses, Gouda and

It can also be operated at room temperature,

Emmental, in a study conducted by Klijn et al.

thus promoting cold commercial sterilization

(1995),

Clostridium

for fruit juice products. MFs application to

tyrobutyricum that caused late-blowing

control microorganisms was proved by Nobile

defect, described as irregular eyes, slits, and

(1967), in his study entitled, Use of

cracks

Membrane

to

spore-forming

during

ripening.

Tetra

Alcross

Filter

Technique

in

the

Bactocatch system was employed to eliminate

Microbiological Control for the Brewing

the risk of late-blowing instead of applying

Industry. It enables the performance of viable

severe

heat

treatment

which

causes

counts on fermented beers and wines by a

denatured

whey

physical separation of yeast cells from the

proteins and caseins. MF eliminates the

bacteria in the sample. Results show that all

necessity to use antibacterial additive in

yeast cells were retained on the 1.2- filter,

cheese production.
Membrane

while all bacterial cells were retained on the

complexation

initially

between

filtrations

established

have

themselves

also
as

clarification step after fermentation in the

production of beer, wine and vinegar. Other
applications

of

membrane

filtration

in

fermented food products include beer from

tank bottoms/recovery of surplus yeast, beer
clarification

and

dealcoholization,

wine

0.22- filter. For confirmation, final filtrates

were inoculated into Fluid Thioglycollate
Medium. Results after incubation showed no
evidence of growth, indicating that all
organisms were retained on the filters. This
eliminates

the

need

for

application

of

antibiotics in differential counting of such

clarification and alcohol removal, rejuvenation

populations.
Aside from commercial application of

of old wine, vinegar clarification, fruit juice

membrane filtration in the dairy and beverage

clarification and concentration, etc. (Lipnizki,

industries, it can also be widely use in whole-

2010).

egg, egg-white, agar and agarose, carrageenan,

In

the

study,

Clarification

of

Pineapple Juice by Microfiltration, conducted

by Carvalho and Silva (2010), they mentioned
that tangential filtration or cross-flow filtration
such as MF and UF can substitute several
steps in obtaining a limpid juice using

apple

and

citrus

pectin,

and

gelatin

concentrations and in water pre- and posttreatments. However, membrane filtration also
has limitations and disadvantages. Fouling of
the membrane can cause a reduction in flux,
Membrane Filtration

resulting to a loss in process productivity over

time. To minimize the effect of fouling,
regular cleaning intervals should be observed
(Lipnizki, 2010). Furthermore, UF/MF may
promote decrease in nutrients in the permeated
juices since many volatile compounds and
compounds responsible for juice turbidity and
juice astringency remain in the retentate
(Carvalho

and

Silva,

2010).

Therefore,

application of membrane filtration techniques

should

be

guided

by

considering

the

compounds that can also be lost during the

process.
Literature cited:
Carvalho LM and Silva CA. 2010. Clarification of
pineapple juice by microfiltration. Ciencia e
Tecnologia de Alimentos. ISSN 0101-2061.
Campinas, 30(3): p.828-832.
Dewettnick K and Le TT. 2011. Membrane separations
in food processing. In: Alternatives to
conventional food processing, A. Proctor,
Editor. RSC Publishing: Cambridge, 184-253.
In: Le TT, Cabaltica AD and Bui VM. 2014.
Membrane separations in dairy processing.
Journal of Food Research and Technology.
Vol.2, Issue 1. Jakraya Publications. p.1-14.
Elwell MW and Barbano DM. 2006. Use of
microfiltration to improve fluid milk quality.
Journal of Dairy Science, 89: E20-30. In: Le
TT, Cabaltica AD and Bui VM. 2014.
Membrane separations in dairy processing.
Journal of Food Research and Technology.
Vol.2, Issue 1. Jakraya Publications. p.1-14.
Goudedranche H, Fauquant J and Maubois JL. 2000.
Fractionation of globular milk fat by
membrane microfiltration. Lait, 80: 93-98. In:
Le TT, Cabaltica AD and Bui VM. 2014.
Membrane separations in dairy processing.
Journal of Food Research and Technology.
Vol.2, Issue 1. Jakraya Publications. p.1-14.

Glimenius AR. 1979. Filtering method for separating

skim milk from milk products. U.S. patent,
Editor, Alfa-Laval AB. In: Le TT, Cabaltica AD
and Bui VM. 2014. Membrane separations in
dairy processing. Journal of Food Research
and Technology. Vol.2, Issue 1. Jakraya
Publications. p.1-14.
Holm S, et al. 1984. Method and plant for producing
milk with a low bacterial content. E. Patent,
Editor, Alfa-Laval AB: Aweden. In: Le TT,
Cabaltica AD and Bui VM. 2014. Membrane
separations in dairy processing. Journal of
Food Research and Technology. Vol.2, Issue 1.
Jakraya Publications. p.1-14.
Klijn N, Nieuwenhof FFJ, Hoolwerf JD, Van der Waals
CB and Weerkemp AH.1995. Identification of
Clostridium tyrobutyricum as the causative
agent of late-blowing in cheese by speciesspecific PCR amplification. Applied and
Environmental Microbiology, 61: 2919-2924.
In: Le TT, Cabaltica AD and Bui VM. 2014.
Membrane separations in dairy processing.
Journal of Food Research and Technology.
Vol.2, Issue 1. Jakraya Publications. p.1-14.
Le TT, Cabaltica AD and Bui VM. 2014. Membrane
separations in dairy processing. Journal of
Food Research and Technology. Vol.2, Issue 1.
Jakraya Publications. p.1-14.
Lipnizki F. 2010. Cross-flow membrane applications in
the food industry. Membrane Technology.
Vol.3: Membranes for food applications.
ISBN: 978-3-527-31482-9.
Merin U and Daufin G (1990). Crossflow
microfiltration in the dairy industry: state-ofthe-art. Lait, 70: 281-291. In: Le TT, Cabaltica
AD and Bui VM. 2014. Membrane separations
in dairy processing. Journal of Food Research
and Technology. Vol.2, Issue 1. Jakraya
Publications. p.1-14.
Michalski MC, Lecote N, Briard-Bion, Fauquant J,
Maubois JL and Goudedranche H. 2006.
Microfiltration of raw whole milk to select
fractions with different fat globule size
distributions: Process optimization and
analysis. Journal of Dairy Science, 89: 37783790. In: Le TT, Cabaltica AD and Bui VM.
2014. Membrane separations in dairy
processing. Journal of Food Research and

Membrane Filtration

Technology. Vol.2, Issue 1. Jakraya

Publications. p.1-14.
Nobile J. 1967. Use of Membrane filter technique in the
microbiological control for the brewing
industry. American Society for Microbiology.

Applied Microbiology. Vol.15, No.4. p.736737.

Peterkin PI and Sharpe AN. 1980. Membrane filtration
of dairy products for microbiological analysis.
Applied and Environmental Microbiology.
Vol.39, No.6. p.1138-1143.

Membrane Filtration