A method for preparing a plant derived product or a process intermediate or a process input, the method comprising the steps of providing a plant derived starting material, subjecting the starting material to a forward osmosis step against a draw solution so as to produce a plant material concentrate, and subjecting the draw solution to a water removal step. The water removal step may include further forward osmosis in combination with an evaporator system.

Provided is a processing apparatus for processing water-containing organic matters. The processing apparatus includes: a processing tank configured to store the water-containing organic matters; a stirring unit configured to stir the water-containing organic matters; a heater configured to heat the processing tank; an exhaust unit configured to exhaust gas from the processing tank at a rate from 1 m.sup.3/min to 300 m.sup.3/min; and an ion gas supply unit configured to supply ion gas into the processing tank with the exhaustion of the gas from the interior of the processing tank, the ion gas having an ion density of at least 2,000,000 pcs/cc, wherein the heater heats an interior of the processing tank while the stirring unit stirs the water-containing organic matters, and the ion gas is supplied into the processing tank according to the exhaustion by the exhaust unit, whereby processing the water-containing organic matters.

A method includes the addition of a broad-spectrum preservative agent to a corn steep liquor, subsequent homogenization to resuspend all solids and mix the preservative appropriately. Then a thickening agent, previously diluted in an alcohol to ensure a good dispersion of same, is added, and everything is homogenized to give rise to a biostimulant corn steep liquor for use as high added value organic matter (biostimulant CSL) with a fertilizing effect.