The Role of Filtration in Modern Food and Beverage Processing

As demand for functional foods continues to grow, food and beverage manufacturers are facing heightened expectations around both product performance and how foods and beverages are processed. Consumers are increasingly attentive not only to what products are designed to deliver- such as protein quality or consistent performance- but also to the processing methods used to produce foods and beverages.

Within current processing frameworks, filtration is often categorized as a moderate processing approach, rather than ultra-processed, and has long been used across alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, water, fermentation-derived ingredients, and protein systems among others. By enabling controlled separations without relying on harsh chemical steps, filtration can support ingredient functionality and formulation flexibility. In fact, food companies can now have the new Non-UPF Verified logo to label products as “non‑ultra‑processed” when using methods like filtration, now defined as moderate processing according to their guidelines.

Below, Kartheek Anekella, PhD, strategic marketing leader for food and alternative proteins at Pall Corporation, discusses how filtration is applied in modern food manufacturing and where it can play a role in supporting functional food development.

What makes filtration a cleaner processing solution for processed foods?

Filtration is particularly interesting for certain ingredients, such as plant-protein isolates where the conventional process currently uses harsh chemicals like acids and extreme temperature to extract the proteins. These methods can render the proteins non-functional because strong chemical treatments denature their structure, causing them to lose innate properties such as solubility, gelation, or emulsification, which are essential for product development. This limits their scope of use and application in various final products.

When is filtration needed for ingredient processing?

Filtration plays a critical role during the handling of liquids, including fruit juices, water, beverages, ready-to-drink (RTD) teas and coffees, edible oils, beer, spirits, and wine. Even when the final product is not a liquid, filtration is often part of the processing workflow for applications such as fermentation-based processes and the production of enzymes, sugars, sweeteners, and plant proteins.

For example, fermentation-derived ingredients, including enzymes, proteins, amino acids, and both plant-based and dairy proteins, typically rely on filtration-based technologies to clarify, separate, and concentrate the ingredients of interest. Those are often proteins or other high-value ingredients.

How does filtration work?

Filtration operates in different ways depending on the ingredient and processing needs, including:

1. Sterile filtration, which is used in processes such as fermentation, nutrient media, or air filtration when sterility of the ingredients and utilities is critical to prevent or remove contaminant microorganisms.
2. Direct-flow filtration, which uses a simple filter made from a variety of materials, like how a coffee filter removes grounds while allowing liquid to pass through. Typical applications include particulate or colloidal removal from fruit juices, RTD teas and coffees, spirits, and wine including in-process clarification for novel fermentation.
3. Crossflow (or tangential flow) filtration, in which the feed liquid passes both parallel and perpendicular to the membrane, allowing both retentate and permeate to be collected. Typical applications include enzymes, upcycling, plant proteins, novel proteins, beer, and clean-in-place (CIP) caustic recovery.

Can you provide some examples of how filtration improves processing for certain foods?

For plant protein isolates, filtration enables the manufacturers to avoid or minimize using the traditional chemical-based isoelectric precipitation methods, which helps retain native protein functionality. This expands formulation possibilities in applications where properties such as solubility, emulsification, gelation, or stability under varying heat or pH conditions are critical.

In fermentation-based processes, filtration is widely used, particularly when proteins of varied sizes must be separated under drastic conditions. Fermentation often involves sensitive media, cell separation, and protein isolation. Traditional approaches such as centrifugation or diatomaceous earth (DE) filtration may require multiple passes and additional downstream operations along with environmental and worker safety concerns. In contrast, ceramic membrane–based crossflow filtration is typically operated in a closed system, supporting automated processing, contamination control, and operational efficiency.

Learn more about the filtration solutions offered by Pall Corporation.