Applicability of product-driven process synthesis to separation processes in food

The demand for more sustainable processing in the food industry is rising but requires structured methodologies to support the fast implementation of new economic and sustainable processes. Product-driven process synthesis (PDPS) is a recently established methodology facilitating the rapid development of feasible process alternatives for structured products, such as in mayonnaise, ice-cream, or margarine. Here, we present the application of the PDPS methodology to valorize okara, which is a by-product from soy milk production. It is produced in large amounts, but its use as food or feed is not fully exploited. Besides fibers, protein, and fat, it contains substantial amounts of isoflavones, which are high value components. This paper evaluates the PDPS-methodology for the design of an economic and sustainable process for the production of isoflavones from okara. The main challenge is to adapt the method in such a way that it is able to deal with a complex matrix as starting material. Therefore, the PDPS methodology may require extension. Nevertheless, it promises to be a useful tool also for fractionation of food materials.