Controlled hydrodynamic cavitation as a tool to enhance the properties of biological sources

Controlled hydrodynamic cavitation (HC) techniques and processes have been increasingly implemented, either as single unit operation systems, or integrated with other technologies, to boost the process efficiency and yields in an ever-growing variety of technical fields. Wastewater treatment and drinking water disinfection, biomass preprocessing, and crude oil refining are relatively well-established application fields. However, HC techniques have shown surprising performances with biological raw materials related to the food, agricultural and forestry sectors and resources. In food processing, HC techniques have been implemented as single unit operation, carrying out particle grinding, homogenization, liquid pasteurization or sterilization, degassing of undesired volatile compounds, as well as enhancing saccharification, creating stable nanoemulsions, when applicable, and extraction of valuable bioactive compounds. Beyond complying with the principles of green extraction, HC techniques have shown a clear superiority over most of competing techniques, including acoustic cavitation, thermal and pressure treatments. At the Laboratory for agri-food applications of controlled hydrodynamic cavitation (HCTagrifood Lab), important results were achieved in different technical fields, such as food liquids pasteurization,1 beer brewing,2,3,4 with a related patent,5 followed by the development up to the industrial scale,6 extraction of fir needles in aqueous solutions, resulting in extremely enhanced antioxidant activity,7 enhancement of biochar properties,8 and others. Clear advantages over competing techniques were identified for all the abovementioned applications, such as in terms of process time, energy consumption, and extraction of bioactive compounds. 1. L. Albanese, R. Ciriminna, F. Meneguzzo, M. Pagliaro, Energy Sci. Eng., 2015, 3, 221. 8. L. Albanese, R. Ciriminna, F. Meneguzzo, M. Pagliaro, J. Clean. Prod. 2017, 142, 1457. 3. L. Albanese, F. Meneguzzo, in Production and Management of Beverages (eds. A. M. Grumezescu, A. M. Holban), 2019, 211. 4. L. Albanese, F. Meneguzzo, Processing and Sustainability of Beverages (eds. A. M. Grumezescu, A. M. Holban), 2019, 319. 5. F. Meneguzzo, L. Albanese, 2016, Patent No. WO/2018/029715. 6. http://www.cavibeer.com/ 7. L. Albanese, A. Bonetti, A., L. P. D'Acqui, F. Meneguzzo, F. Zabini, Foods, 2019, 8, 65. 8. L. Albanese, S. Baronti, F. Liguori, F. Meneguzzo, P. Barbaro, F. P. Vaccari, J. Clean. Prod. 2019, 210, 159.