Study of the fouling mechanism in wines and beers

Abstract

Fermented beverages such as wines and beers must be as clear as possible to be commercialized. To that efect, they are submeted to filtering processes carried out by the means of diatomaceous earth filters. in substitution to the classic techniques of beverage clarification, filtration by membranes is emergin as a promising technology, as it would eliminate the residues generated by the conventional method, besides combining clkarification/stabilization/sterilization in a continous filtering operation. The fouling phenomenon is related to the decreasing of permaneate flow with time, and is a critical facor in many separation processes by membranes, as well as being one of the main factors that limit its application. The objetive of this work was to assess the fouling mechanism in the clarification of white wine and beer by using a ceramic membrane with pore 0,01µm in diameter for wine and a hollow fiber polysulfone membrane with molecular weight of 100 KDa for beer. The identification of the fouling mechanism was carried out by estimation of prameters for models of permeate flow decrease. The results indicate the occurence of total blockage of pores in the ultra-filtration of wines, and the predominance of models of external blockages of pores in the processing of beer.