Separation processes

Food Processing Technology Unit V

Part 2
Distillation and Extraction
Separations in Food Processing
Separations are vital to all areas of the
food processing industry.
 Types of separation process in food
industry
 1. Distillation
 2. Extraction
 3. Washing
 4. Filtration
 5. Sedimentation
 6. Sieving
 7. Centrifugation
1. Distillation
Principle:
Distillation is a method of separation which
depends on there being a difference in
composition between a liquid mixture and
the vapour formed from it.
This difference in composition develops if
the different components of the mixture
have different vapor pressures or volatilities.
Types Of Distillation
Batch Distillation
Flash Distillation
Continuous Distillation with
Rectification
Rectification with Stripping
Steam Distillation
Vacuum Distillation
Batch Distillation
Batch distillation are commonly used for small
capacity operations of 100-500 litres.
It is extensively used in food processing for
desolventization of the solvent from an
extracted mixture.
As the name (batch) indicates that all the
contents are fed into the distillation still which
is heated by means of steam. The mixture boils,
and the vapours start generating.
Continuous Distillation with Rectification
In a rectification processing, the vapours and
liquid pass in a cascade of stages so that they
are brought into intimate contact.
In the process of contact, the less volatiles in
vapour stream are exchanged with the more
volatiles in the liquid stream.
They exchange both mass & heat, and they
reach equilibrium.
STEAM DISTILLATION
It is one of the most convenient methods to distil
volatile components(which are heat sensitive and are
insoluble in steam/water) from non-volatile
components at a temperature which is much less than
the boiling point of the volatile component.
It is extensively used to distil the volatile oils from the
spices like clover, ginger, garlic or cardamom.
Steam distillation set-up.
Vacuum Distillation
This will reduce the boiling temperature of the
mixture, and hence , distillation can be carried
out at a temperature much less than normal b.p
of mixture .
It is particularly useful for those components
which are heat sensitive, and may degrade if
they are heated upto the b.p of mixture.
Applications of Distillation in Food
Processing
Brewery industry

Solvent recovery

Extraction of essential oil

2. EXTRACTION
Principle:
Extraction uses the property of solubility to transfer a
solute from one phase to another. In order to perform
an extraction, the solute must have a higher solubility
in the second phase than in the original. In general,
very nonpolar solutes will partition into an organic
phase, while very polar solutes will partition into an
aqueous phase. The choice of phases will depend on
the solute of interest.
Extraction operations can be
subdivided into-
>solid-liquid extraction
>liquid-liquid extraction
Factors Affecting Extraction
Concentration difference,
Area of contact
Solubility of the solute in the solvent,
Viscosity of the solvent
Diffusivity of the solvent into the solid matrix
Temperature of extraction
 degree of agitation to improve eddy
diffusivity.
 Extraction Equipment

Batch Continuous

Single Multi Single Multi

Stage Stage Stage Stage

Soxhlet Hildebrandt Bollman

Batch
type extractor extractor
extractor
extractor
Advantages of batch extractor
It is simple in operation ,easy in maintenance and
flexible in utilization(i.e same vessel can be use for
different extraction processes) .
Demerit: Generally in
batch processing, the
throughputs are low , and is
restricted to one ton batch.
Applications of extraction in food
processing:
Extraction of oils and fats
Extraction of oleoresins
Extraction of natural food colours
Extraction of caffeine
Extraction of coffee