Membrane Technologies for Phenolic Compound Recovery in Agro-Food Systems
Summary
Phenolic compounds are high‐value bioactive molecules abundant in agro‐food by-products such as fruit pomace, oil mill wastewater and brewery effluent. Membrane processes offer modular, energy-efficient platforms for clarification, fractionation and concentration of these antioxidants while minimising chemical use and preserving bioactivity. Microfiltration and ultrafiltration effectively remove suspended solids and colloids, yielding a phenolic‐rich permeate or retentate depending on pore size and operating conditions. Nanofiltration and reverse osmosis further refine this stream by selectively rejecting low-molecular-weight phenolics, sugars and organic acids, achieving high concentration factors. Advanced configurations such as direct‐contact membrane distillation or osmotic distillation enable solvent-free water removal to attain phenolic concentrates suitable for nutraceutical or cosmeceutical applications. Integration with adsorption resins or ion-exchange stages enhances selectivity and purity, and crossflow designs mitigate fouling. Recent advances emphasise real-time fouling control, membrane material innovation and hybridisation with bioreactors or adsorption units to maximise yield and minimise environmental impact. These technologies align with circular-economy goals by transforming waste streams into functional ingredients for food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic sectors. Process intensification, scale-up of pilot systems and techno-economic assessments are driving global adoption of membrane-based phenolic recovery, delivering sustainable solutions for value-added utilisation of agro-industrial residues.
Research from Nature Portfolio
No recent Nature Portfolio content available.
Membrane Technologies for Phenolic Compound Recovery in Agro-Food Systems publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in membrane technologies for phenolic compound recovery in agro-food systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Ultrafiltration: Pressure-driven separation using membranes with pore sizes ~0.01–0.1 µm to remove colloids and macromolecules.
Nanofiltration: Membrane process with selective rejection of molecules in the 200–1000 Da range, useful for partial de-salting and phenolic concentration.
Reverse osmosis: High-pressure membrane process that retains most solutes, including low-molecular-weight phenolics, yielding near-pure water in the permeate.
Adsorption resin: Solid polymeric beads that bind target compounds via hydrophobic or ionic interactions, enabling selective capture and subsequent desorption of phenolics.
References
- Investigation of phenolic compounds recovery from brewery wastewater with coupled membrane and adsorption process. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering (2024).
- Treatment of Two-Phase Olive Mill Wastewater and Recovery of Phenolic Compounds Using Membrane Technology. Membranes (2019).
- Recovery of Phenolic Compounds from Red Grape Pomace Extract through Nanofiltration Membranes. Foods (2020).
- Concentration of Bioactive Phenolic Compounds in Olive Mill Wastewater by Direct Contact Membrane Distillation. Molecules (2021).
Turn complex research questions into confident strategic decisions
When you're under pressure to set direction, justify investment, or understand your competitive position, you need more than raw data — you need trusted insights you can act on.
Benchmark your performance against global peers using robust, methodologically sound analysis.
Combine quantitative metrics with qualitative expert insight to uncover strengths, gaps and emerging opportunities.
Gain tailored, decision-ready recommendations aligned to your strategic priorities.
Talk to us to learn more about our data dashboards and bespoke strategy reports.
Grow research skills, confidence and careers with training built for every stage of the research lifecycle.
Developed with Nature Portfolio journal Editors and internationally renowned experts. Discover three ways to learn:
Self-paced, online courses in convenient bite-sized units, covering key skills across scientific writing, publishing, grant writing, data analysis, and more.
Expert trainer-led workshops with hands-on exercises and real-time feedback across core research skills, delivered via interactive group sessions.
Editor-led workshops combining core principles in writing and publishing, personalised 1:1 feedback from Nature Portfolio Editors and hands-on exercises.
Explore course catalogues and workshop agendas, enquire about the options or request institutional pricing.