Edible seed oil waste: status quo and future perspectives

Large volumes of process water and steam are required for extraction and refining of edible seed oils. Water usage in most industries has decreased over the years as increasing emphasis is being placed on water re-use in modern facilities. However, given the size of the edible seed oil industry globally, there is a lack of current quantitative data about water use and wastewater generation. As the world moves towards a circular economy and water becomes more scarce, it is imperative that the industry players provide meaningful input/output data in order to benchmark and identify areas for waste valorization. This review provides data currently available in the public domain on the specific wastewater intake and wastewater generation by the edible seed oil industry, highlighting the need for further data collection. In addition, wastewater quality and current and future wastewater treatment technologies are discussed, as well as the potential for valorization of solid waste and effluent from the industry, and potential avenues for future research.