ABSTRACT
Hrissi K. Karapanagioti
Chapter Author:
H. K. Karapanagioti (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0297-5229" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0297-5229)
In the food industries, water plays a crucial role in the final product quality. However, the water quantities consumed receive more attention than the water quality. Depending on the type of the end-products, the plant capacity, the applied process type, the equipment employed, the level of automation, and the cleaning system used, the water quantities used vary considerably. In some cases, water is of particular importance to the local identity of the final product. In other cases, large scale industries wanting to avoid packaging problems, related to tap-water salts or changes in taste, treat the incoming water to secure a stable water quality. Water is also one of the main ingredients of vinegar used for soaking the raw materials or before packaging to bring the acetic acid content to the desirable range. It can derive either from the municipal supply or from local sources after suitable treatment. There are several techniques to treat water on-site in the vinegar production industry and selecting one depends on the quality of the water entering the industry. In most cases, local treatment can be sufficient if it includes a combination of sand and activated carbon filter beds and a reverse osmosis unit.
