Implementation of PEF Treatment at Real-Scale Tomatoes Processing Considering LCA Methodology as an Innovation Strategy in the Agri-Food Sector

Álvaro J. Arnal, Patricia Royo, Gianpiero Pataro, Giovanna Ferrari, Víctor J. Ferreira, Ana M. López-Sabirón and Germán A. Ferreira
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Álvaro J. Arnal: Research Centre for Energy Resources and Consumption (CIRCE), CIRCE Building-Campus Río Ebro, Mariano Esquillor Gómez, 15, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain
Patricia Royo: Research Centre for Energy Resources and Consumption (CIRCE), CIRCE Building-Campus Río Ebro, Mariano Esquillor Gómez, 15, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain
Gianpiero Pataro: Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Salerno, via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano (SA), Italy
Giovanna Ferrari: Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Salerno, via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano (SA), Italy
Víctor J. Ferreira: Research Centre for Energy Resources and Consumption (CIRCE), CIRCE Building-Campus Río Ebro, Mariano Esquillor Gómez, 15, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain
Ana M. López-Sabirón: Research Centre for Energy Resources and Consumption (CIRCE), CIRCE Building-Campus Río Ebro, Mariano Esquillor Gómez, 15, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain
Germán A. Ferreira: Research Centre for Energy Resources and Consumption (CIRCE), CIRCE Building-Campus Río Ebro, Mariano Esquillor Gómez, 15, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 4, 1-16

Abstract: In Europe, science and innovation are boosting the agri-food sector and, in parallel, are helping to decrease greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and European dependency on non-renewable resources. Currently, it is well-known that this sector contributes to the consumption of energy and material resources, causing significant environmental impacts that require a complex and comprehensive environmental evaluation in order to manage them effectively. This becomes even more complicated when new technologies are reaching the level of technological maturity needed to be installed in the production lines. To address this scientific challenge, the life cycle assessment (LCA) has been used in this paper to evaluate the potential of pulsed electric fields (PEF) technology at an industrial scale to facilitate the steam peeling of tomato fruits. Considering the thermo-physical peeling stage, the LCA has shown that PEF technology is environmentally friendly, because when PEF technology is applied, all the considered environmental indicators improve between 17% and 20%.

Keywords: pulsed electric fields (PEF); life cycle assessment (LCA); sustainable food production; tomato processing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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