Current Status of Membrane Technology for Food Processing in Japan

Watanabe Atsuo, Nabetani Hiroshi

doi:10.5360/membrane.32.190

In Japan, in April 1970, the application of reverse osmosis in food processing was selected as a subject of a symposium organized by the Japanese Society of Food Science and Technology. This was followed by collaboration by companies, universities and the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries on membrane technology in order to investigate the application of membrane technology in new fields. In 1982, Membrane Research Association in Food Industry (MRAFI) was founded with a aid by the Ministry of Agriculture, to promote the collaborative research with food companies and membrane companies. After the final presentations of the results of the research in MRAFI, Membrane & separation Research Circle of Food (MRC) was established by sympathizers of the membrane technologists in industry, government and university. Main membrane technologies for food processing are categorized into five types; microfiltration (MF), ultrafiltration (UF), nanofiltraion (NF), reverse osmosis (RO) and electrodialysis (ED). In these, NF has recently made great advance in regard to its practical use as a new field of membrane separation. The membrane technology has been investigated for about 40 years in Japan. And it has been steadily coming into practical use in food industry for the improvement of food quality, creation of new food products, separating the constituent parts of functional food, and energy saving.

Current Status of Membrane Technology for Food Processing in Japan

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