INTEGRATED SIMULATION TECHNOLOGY FOR SAFE, SUSTAINABLE FOOD PROCESSES

In the development of sustainable process lines, various aspects must be considered such as quality, microbiological risks and process economy as also environmental impact throughout the development phase of the process. A general process-driven simulation tool has been developed to facilitate the rapid and efficient evaluation of alternative processes, taking into account technological, environmental and microbiological aspects. The tool has been used to analyse a proposed process line for product in the form of a snack using brewers' spent grain (BSG) as one major ingredient. From simulations based on data from a pilot scale trail it could be concluded that the handling and choice of ingredients are critical steps from a microbiological and environmental point of view as well as from the point of view of costs. From a process point of view the drying step is the most critical due the large amount of energy required, which influences both costs and the environmental impact. By pressing the BSG before processing and possibly by drying the product at the brewery using e.g. excess steam from the brewing process the environmental impact as well as production costs can be decreased.