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

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.

Validation of Pasteurisation Temperatures for a Tomato–Oil Homogenate (salmorejo) Processed by Radiofrequency or Conventional Continuous Heating

“…In other vegetable products, a higher degree of enzyme inactivation was found for CH in grapefruit [28] and strawberry purée [29], whereas MW proved more effective than CH in orange juice [30]. RF technology could replace conventional heat exchangers in the food industry as dielectric heating would be less energy-intensive [31].…”

Sustainability assessment in innovation design processes: place, role, and conditions of use in agrifood systems. A review

“…The literature review by Thonemann et al (2020) reported that three main challenges remain when conducting prospective LCAs of emerging technologies: comparability (variation in perimeters and functional units required for old and new systems assessed), data (availability and variation in the age and scale of the data employed in the models), and uncertainty attached to the assumptions built around the innovative system being modeled. Furthermore, in this type of study, the role of a multidisciplinary team including LCA specialists, engineers, technicians, and experts involved in the design, development, and testing at different scales of innovation development is essential (Calero et al 2022). For these reasons, the use of life cycle assessment tools for ex ante assessment remains difficult, and sometimes even impossible.…”

Hazard control through processing and preservation technologies for enhancing the food safety management of infant food chains

“…11 Moreover, there is a minimal dirt deposition (less water and cleaning agents are needed for cleaning) due to the removal of hot heat transfer surfaces. 12 RF has a high heating efficiency (>80%) without losses to the surrounding environment. 13 As the heating rate is faster than in conventional heating technologies (such as UHT or retort), nutrient, vitamin and flavour damage is minimized 14 and the organoleptic characteristics of the product can be improved.…”