Upscaling via a Prospective LCA: A Case Study on Tomato Homogenate Using a Near-to-Market Pasteurisation Technology

Maria Calero, Gabriela Clemente, Dinar Fartdinov, Sancho Bañón, Israel Muñoz and Neus Sanjuán
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Maria Calero: ASPA Group, Department of Food Technology, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, Spain
Gabriela Clemente: ASPA Group, Department of Food Technology, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, Spain
Dinar Fartdinov: Food Technology Program, Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA), 17121 Girona, Spain
Sancho Bañón: Department of Food Science & Technology and Human Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Murcia, 30100 Murcia, Spain
Israel Muñoz: Food Technology Program, Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA), 17121 Girona, Spain
Neus Sanjuán: ASPA Group, Department of Food Technology, Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, Spain

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 3, 1-27

Abstract: Thanks to food technology, the production of cold tomato soups such as salmorejo , a traditional Spanish dish, has become industrialised. Thermal treatments play an important role in ready-to-eat meals, prolonging their shelf-life. Radiofrequency (RF) heating is less energy-intensive than conventional heat exchangers and has been successfully used to pasteurise food; novel applications, however, provide results at laboratory or pilot scale, so conclusions might not be translatable to industry. In this study, a prospective Life-Cycle Assessment of salmorejo pasteurised using RF was performed to highlight the relevance of upscaling and to compare its environmental impacts with those of conventional pasteurisation. “Gate-to-gate” results show that the pilot has greater environmental impacts due to its greater energy consumption, as thermal energy is not recovered. The packing and landfill of organic waste exhibit the highest impacts at industrial scale. RF technology does not imply significant environmental improvements versus conventional pasteurisation. Potential changes in the energy background of future scenarios have relevant consequences in the environmental impacts. “Farm-to-factory-gate” analysis highlights ingredients and tomato valorisation as the most impacting stages. The prospective LCA of scaled up scenarios constitutes a tool for environmental screening in food ecodesign, contributing to Sustainable Development Goal 12.

Keywords: emerging technology; prospective LCA; pasteurisation; radiofrequency; salmorejo; scale up; tomato homogenate (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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