The Economic Impact of a New Type of Ripening Chamber in Traditional Cheese Manufacturing

Nuno Teixeira, Maria Clara Pires, Paulo Ferreira, Graça P. Carvalho, Rute Santos, Francisco M. Rodrigues, João Dias, João C. Martins and José Jasnau Caeiro
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Nuno Teixeira: Department of Accounting and Finance, Polytechnic Institute of Setúbal, 2914-503 Setúbal, Portugal
Maria Clara Pires: Polytechnic Institute of Beja, 7800-295 Beja, Portugal
Graça P. Carvalho: Polytechnic Institute of Portalegre, Agrarian School of Elvas, 7350-092 Elvas, Portugal
Rute Santos: VALORIZA—Research Centre for Endogenous Resource Valorization, 7300-555 Portalegre, Portugal
Francisco M. Rodrigues: Polytechnic Institute of Portalegre, Agrarian School of Elvas, 7350-092 Elvas, Portugal
João Dias: Polytechnic Institute of Beja, 7800-295 Beja, Portugal
João C. Martins: Polytechnic Institute of Beja, 7800-295 Beja, Portugal
José Jasnau Caeiro: Polytechnic Institute of Beja, 7800-295 Beja, Portugal

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 16, 1-8

Abstract: A new prototype of a ripening chamber was proposed in the CFD4CHEESE project aiming to evaluate the application of computational fluid dynamics in the optimization of traditional cheeses ripening conditions. With the purpose of evaluating the possible impact on the energy cost of cheese ripening in three Portuguese regions (Setúbal, Évora, and Beja), we demonstrated the potential economic benefits of the prototype. The proposed automation process would imply higher productive efficiency, reducing the consumption of water and electricity. The simple consideration of the reduction of electricity costs is enough to recover the investment needed to have the new ripening chambers, meaning that the investment is economically viable. In addition to the economic impact in firms, which are mostly small and medium firms, our results also contribute to an increase on the sustainable use of natural resources.

Keywords: cost reduction; economic impact; ripening chambers; SME competitiveness (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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