The transformation and outcome of traditional cassava starch processing in Guangxi, China

ABSTRACT

To improve the resource utilization, reduce the pollution generation, and increase the economic benefits of enterprises, a cleaner process to produce cassava starch was proposed based on potato starch processing, and it was applied to the transformation of a traditional cassava starch processing factory in the Guangxi Province in China. The transformation involves the implementation of several new techniques/facilities, including a rasper, horizontal centrifuge, and hydrocyclone. Based on the transformation, typical cassava starch factories in Guangxi were evaluated. The results show that, through the application of a series of cleaner techniques/facilities, the starch recovery rate increased to 84.5%. The water consumption, wastewater generation, and chemical oxygen demand generation decreased by 53.8%, 49.0%, and 20.7%, respectively. Based on the cleaner process, the wastewater can be treated to meet the national discharge standard by using common wastewater treatment technology.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

KEYWORDS:

• cleaner production
• cassava starch
• evaluation
• China
• pollution reduction

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the project entitled Industrial Waste Minimization for Low Carbon Production under the joint UNIDO (United Nations Industrial Development Organization)-UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) Programme on Resource Efficiency and Cleaner Production (RECP) in Developing and Transition Contries, and the project number is 100050-1-02-01.