During the chemical synthesis of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a large amount of ammonium chloride is generated and coexisted with the product. In this study, electrodialysis (ED) was employed to separate and recover GABA from reaction mixtures containing salts. The selection of membranes and electrolytes were investigated. Results indicated that the CJ-MA-3/CJ-MC-3 membrane was more suitable for ED operation. The highest desalination rate was observed at 99.29% with GABA loss rate less than 3%. To increase the GABA recovery rate, the lost GABA was mixed with fresh raw material and recycled for the next production loop. Results showed that this recycling strategy can be effectively carried out for only one time. The total energy consumption for GABA dry product was less than 500 kW h/t, which was much less than the conventional separation technologies. Naturally, industrial production of high purity gamma-aminobutyric acid by ED was not only energy efficient but also environmentally friendly. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.