Green Processing Technologies for Sustainable Food Manufacturing: Current Advances, Industrial Applications, and Future Perspectives

Abstract

The global food industry is undergoing a significant transformation driven by increasing environmental concerns, resource scarcity, and the urgent need to achieve sustainable development goals. Conventional food processing technologies, while effective in ensuring food safety and productivity, are often associated with high energy consumption, excessive water use, greenhouse gas emissions, and considerable food losses. Consequently, green processing technologies have emerged as promising alternatives for improving production efficiency while minimizing environmental impacts. This narrative review summarizes recent advances in green food processing technologies and evaluates their contributions to sustainable food manufacturing. The review focuses on five representative technologies, including ultrasound processing, high-pressure processing, pulsed electric field, cold plasma, and supercritical carbon dioxide extraction. Their working principles, industrial applications, advantages, and limitations are critically discussed based on recent scientific evidence. Furthermore, the review highlights the environmental and economic benefits of these technologies in terms of energy efficiency, water conservation, waste reduction, product quality preservation, and support for circular bioeconomy strategies. Current challenges associated with industrial implementation, economic feasibility, regulatory frameworks, and technology integration are also examined. Finally, future perspectives emphasize the integration of artificial intelligence, digital manufacturing, and life cycle assessment to optimize sustainable food production. Green processing technologies are expected to play a pivotal role in achieving environmentally responsible, economically viable, and socially sustainable food systems over the coming decades.