On 21st of April 2026, the ISPT Drying and Dewatering Program hosted a brainstorming session at its office in Amersfoort. The session focused on identifying bottlenecks, opportunities, potential solutions and technology needs related to the emerging water availability challenge in the food processing industry. The insights are captured in this whitepaper.
Together with knowledge institutes Wageningen University, NIZO, Wetsus and KWR Water our industry partners Royal Avebe, Cano-ela, Cosun, dsm-firmenich, Danone, Nobian, Revyve and Vreugdenhil Dairy Foods and tech providers Pentair, North Water, NX Filtration and Hosokawa Micron we explored how water availability and water use for processing of food could structurally be improved and how water circularity could be implemented in brownfield and greenfield situations.
Summary
Water availability, use and discharges are rapidly becoming a limiting factor for the food processing industry. Water was long been regarded as cheap and abundant, but shortages are expected around 2030, while stricter extraction permits and discharge regulations are likely to be implemented in the near future. At the same time, the protein transition and growth of fermentation processes are driving increased water demand.
Although water reuse is often technically possible, progress is hindered by restrictive legislation, safety concerns, and lack of urgency within companies. Many organizations also lack contingency plans and face internal resistance to changing established processes. This paper emphasizes that water circularity must become a strategic priority, where water is no longer viewed a commodity but rather a critical asset. A stronger focus on the potential impacts of water scarcity and depletion should act as a driver for collaboration across value chains. Such collaboration is essential to develop and implement industry cases that prepare the food industry for water circularity in dewatering and drying processes.
Collaboration between industry, knowledge institutes, technology providers, and authorities is crucial to align innovation with regulation. Concrete actions proposed include industrial symbiosis, process redesign, true water pricing, and targeted pilot projects to build practical experience.
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