ANAEROBIC DIGESTION OF FOOD PROCESSING WASTES.

Abstract

Many food processing factories produce large volumes of low or high strength waste waters which require to be treated. One of the newer types of waste water treatment systems now being offered as a commercial alternative to chemical and aerobic treatment, is that of anaerobic digestion. This process not only removes a large part of the organic load of an industrial effluent, but also produces valuable byproducts in the form of methane in biogas and also protein and fertilizer in the waste residues. Over the last five to ten years, large strides have been made in the design of anaerobic digesters, particularly for the food industry.