Most of food process treatment systems (ponds, leaching beds, septic tanks,
and trickling fi lters) are poorly built-up, ineffi cient, and improperly operated.
Fortunately, there are several highly effi cient technologies available for industrial
food manufacturing liquid effl uents, but the costs are generally unbearable,
considering the narrow marginal profi ts of these activities. The problem for
small and medium size businesses is to fi nd a technology that is comparatively
affordable, with a short return on the investment relative to its life cycle, capable
of treating high industrial-strength wastewater, with nonodorous treatment,
demanding comparatively little land and fl exible enough to be installed as needs
arise