Case study

Increasing food additive production by over 100%

Food and beverage

Client

International biotechnology company

Application

Food additives

Product

SupaPore FP

Location

Global

Sector

Biotechnology

Value added

Increased production

The problem

Our client uses biotechnology to manufacture products such as food additives. They create these using bacterial fermentation. When the fermentation process is complete, the product is extracted.

Extraction was challenging for our client because the downstream prefiltration process was inefficient. The prefilter would need 40-50 10-inch filters per batch and would block after processing 70-80kg of product.

Having to change filters so often was expensive and time-consuming. It also resulted in loss of product as it wasn’t practical to recover it when the filters blocked.

As the market for their products continued to grow, they needed to make sure production was as efficient as possible.

The solution

We recommended trying SupaPore FP filters. These protect downstream membrane filters, helping to maintain their throughput and prolong their life.

Our client trialled the V (0.6 to 1.0µm) and X grade (0.2 to 0.45µm) filters as alternatives to their previous 0.2μm filter. They chose the X grade filter as it provides extra protection for the final membrane filter on top of excellent performance.

The SupaPore FP filters have:

  • Absolute Ratings from 0.3 to 10µm for consistent and reliable performance
  • Pleated depth media for improved capacity
  • A large surface area for high flow rates and low initial pressure losses
  • Thermal bonding to eliminate adhesives and minimise extractables

The results

The new prefilter solution processes up to 250kg of product before needing replacement – that’s 170-180kg more than before. The throughput is 3-4 times higher, so 10-12 single 10-inch filters can process a batch compared to 40-50 using the previous process.

This is an exceptional improvement in performance, and we’re thrilled for our client. They’ve benefitted from cost savings, a shorter production cycle, and improved output.

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