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TNOs current research programs aim to add flexibility to current food manufacturing practices,
by introducing new sustainable processes and ingredient alternatives for the food industry.
by Jerome Diaz
S
ustainability is a key large (figure 1). The complex- among others). Arguably, in or- to current food manufactur-
issue, especially in the ity of the chain increases with der to enhance the sustainability ing practices, by introducing
wake of a rising world the processing and distribution of the food production chain, new sustainable processes and
population and the need to feed of foods. Inevitably, agricul- the food manufacturing industry ingredient alternatives for the
this growth under the stress of tural produce is processed into plays a central and crucial role. food industry.
limited, competing resources a multitude of products e.g. It will be difficult to shorten the
and environmental changes. the transformation of wheat gap between primary producers Case 1. Resource efficien-
Sustainability in the food in- into flour; of muscle into meat; and consumers since there is a cy in food production and
dustry ultimately translates of fruit into a juice and many need for ever increasing pro- processing: Currently, TNO
into the ability to produce safe, more. Additional processes fur- ductivity, quality, nutrition and serves as the coordinator of the
healthy and affordable foods ther increase the complexity of safety to meet the demands of a FP7 EU project RESFOOD
indefinitely, without sacrificing the food production chain. The growing world population. (Resource Efficient and Safe
the consumer and the environ- production of bakery, processed Food Production and Process-
ment. The word indefinite meat, dairy products and other Sustainable Case Studies ing). The project aims to de-
is a key term and it suggests a prepared foods widens the gap Research programs at TNO velop technologies that increase
(very) long time. Under this further between the primary target innovation for the inter- sustainability by saving and
definition, sustainability con- producers and consumers. mediating steps between the recovering water, nutrients and
cepts are inevitably linked to The gap between the prima- primary producers and con- energy during primary produc-
issues of security, renewability ry producers and the consumers sumers. This means providing tion operation of fruit and veg-
of energy and minerals, water encompasses food manufactur- innovation to food manufactur- etables (figure 2). In addition,
recycling and efficient utiliza- ing companies, which includes ing companies and the relevant the valorization of side streams
tion of resources. the primary processors (e.g. supply industries. In general, is also being evaluated in the
slaughterhouses, milling/refin- TNOs goal is to develop tech- process to reduce waste streams
The Production Chain ing companies), the prepared nologies for increased utilization and simultaneously increase
Food production chains food manufacturers and the of agricultural products, by profitability of the crops. The
start with primary producers industry that supplies them (e.g. closing production loops. In ad- project has set the ambitious
of agricultural products and equipment suppliers, additive, dition, TNOs current research aim to obtain water and nutri-
end with the consumers at ingredient and packaging firms, programs aim to add flexibility ent savings of up to 75%. The
EU project is conducted in close
collaboration with SMEs [such
as Vezet and Adesva] to ensure
direct implementation of the de-
veloped technologies and other
research organizations [VITO,
Technion, CNTA], which each
have specific fields of expertise.
Two interesting aspects of
green technologies being de-
veloped in the RESFOOD
project are the utilization of side
stream residues as a source of
functional ingredients. Among
these are green technologies for
the extraction of alkaloids, with
the purpose of evaluating them
as possible plant-derived natural
Figure 1: Schematic diagram of a generalized food production chain showing initial producers up to the end- pesticides. Another technology
consumers. In most cases, the food manufacturing environment comes to play the central role. being developed is the extraction