Membrane-based bio-refinery in agro-food wastewaters processing

Sustainable valorization of agro-food wastes for producing high value-added products for food, pharmaceutical and food applications is actually one of the current challenges for researchers. Under this approach, biorefinery concepts represent a key element for the transition to the circular economy to minimal waste generation to fulfil the "zero waste concept". Membrane-based processes are an emerging tool to improve the valorisation of agro-food by-products within a sustainable biorefinery strategy with remarkable improvements of the environmental and economical sustainability. In this chapter an overview of recent advances on the use of membrane processes for the recovery of added value compounds from agro-food wastes, are discussed. Key advantages which can be achieved in both stand-alone or integrated membrane systems or through the integration of membrane-based operations with conventional technologies are analyzed and discussed.