Applications of Pure Waterjet and Abrasive Waterjet in Agriculture and Food Processing

The agriculture and food processing sectors are essential, meeting the fundamental needs of global populations. However, it is crucial to adopt sustainable practices that fulfill these needs while minimizing environmental impact. Climate change, once a theoretical concern, is now an urgent and tangible challenge, requiring immediate action to mitigate its effects. As such, all human activities, particularly those in resource-intensive sectors like agriculture, must be reevaluated. This study explores and reviews the potential of applying waterjet systems and their evolution in agricultural and food processes to improve efficiency and minimize resource consumption; while the use of pure waterjet technology for soft foods has emerged as an established practice, its extension to agricultural applications and the use of abrasive waterjet in this field are still in the research and experimentation phase. This work presents preliminary results, discussing the key waterjet components, their economical modeling, and food safety. Three main categories of applications—cutting of soft, plant-based products, cutting of animal products, and in-field agricultural applications—are reviewed, with detailed use cases on strawberry de-calyxing, meat–bone cutting and sugarcane harvesting, respectively. These applications are analyzed by highlighting waterjet main advantages in terms of cutting performance, as well as food quality and preservation. At the end, future directions are delineated, suggesting potential advancements that could allow us to replace traditional methods with more innovative and sustainable alternatives. A specific focus is given to abrasive ice waterjets.