Percorrer por autor "Aganovic, Kemal"
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- Life cycle assessment of the manothermosonication of liquid whole egg: a comparative evaluation with conventional thermal preservationPublication . Beitia, Enrique; Silva, Beatriz Q.; Smetana, Sergiy; Heinz, Volker; Valdramidis, Vasilis; Aganovic, KemalManothermosonication (MTS) is a promising alternative to thermal preservation of liquid whole egg (LWE) in terms of safety level and improved quality. However, energy and sustainability assessment of MTS are not well described. This study compared the energy balance and life cycle assessment (LCA) of MTS to traditional thermal preservation of LWE, considering equivalent microbial inactivation levels and a production capacity of 100 kg/h within a “gate to gate” approach. Results of the energy assessment indicated that MTS preservation consumed 15% less energy (2.00 kWh/kg of LWE) and water compared to thermal preservation (2.36 kWh/kg of LWE). This reduction is attributable to cavitation, the mechanism of action in MTS, which eliminates the need of pre-homogenisation stage and water for heating. Concerning the environmental impact, MTS scored lower in all impact indicators, mainly due to reduced electricity and water usage. For instance, carbon footprint of CO2 emissions from LWE processing were 57.3% for MTS and 61.8% for thermal preservation, with the environmental impact of the pasteurisation stage being 4.1-fold lower in MTS. This study suggests MTS preservation of LWE is a viable alternative to thermal methods, offering safety, quality, and improved energy and environmental benefits.
- Sustainable food chains designed for optimised resource use: optimising downscaled food chains for sustainable resource use: a comprehensive case study on tomato juicePublication . Silva, Beatriz Q.; Kancirova, Eva; Zdravkovic, Milena; Batta, Uday; Petrusán, János-István; Pasch, Kerstin; Aganovic, Kemal; Vasconcelos, Marta W.; Smetana, SergiyAs consumers increasingly prefer locally sourced food, there is a growing movement towards optimising resource use and reducing emissions in supply chains. While Short Food Supply Chains (SFSCs) traditionally emphasise social and institutional proximity, this study strategically addresses the environmental impact by implementing innovative technologies on a smaller scale. This article explores the possibility of implementing a mobile processing unit (FOX unit) that utilises two innovative technologies, one for gentle juice extraction (spiral filter) and the other for preservation of freshly pressed products (pulsed electric fields - PEF). The study investigates a solution that could streamline the supply chain between producers and consumers by offering a decentralised and modular approach to processing. Using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), tomato juice production is compared under traditional thermal pasteurisation (Scenario 1) and the FOX unit (Scenario 2). This study also assesses the impacts of centralising production and shipping raw materials between countries (Scenario 3), considering the FOX unit as part of the evaluation. Further analysis includes relocating this unit to the countries of raw material origin (Scenario 4). Data retrieved from literature, databases, and practical trials, revealed that tomato juice production with the FOX unit led to a 15% reduction in environmental impact across all categories compared to traditional thermal pasteurisation. When relocating the unit, the overall environmental impact decreased as the volume of processed raw materials increased, reaching levels comparable to the results obtained from shipping 1 ton of raw material to a centralised location in various studied countries (with variations in midpoint categories depending on the location, such as 200 tons in France, 15 tons in Italy, and 45 tons in Spain), albeit with variation in the categories. This study highlights the potential environmental benefits of integrating the FOX unit in SFSCs, offering valuable insights for sustainable food supply chain practices.
- What goes around comes around: applying the food circularity index to chickpea hummus productionPublication . Silva, Beatriz; Guo, Xiaoai; Aganovic, Kemal; Vasconcelos, Marta; Smetana, SergiyThe global food system faces mounting challenges related to sustainability, resource efficiency, and waste management. While circular economy principles have been widely adopted in manufacturing and energy sectors, their implementation in food systems remains fragmented and underdeveloped. This study introduces the Food Circularity Index (FCI), a novel framework to quantify nutrient circularity within the food supply chain. The FCI integrates metrics such as waste redirection, nutrient recovery, and environmental impact, enabling a holistic assessment of circularity. Using chickpea hummus as a case study, four scenarios were modelled to simulate varying degrees of circularity: (1) conventional hummus production; (2) conventional production with waste redirected to landfill; (3) reprocessing of near-expiry hummus using High Pressure Processing (HPP) to extend its shelf life and enable reintegration into the food system; and (4) an isolated assessment of the reprocessing chain introduced in Scenario 3. The study explored broader nutrient recovery strategies, from composting to bioconversion, mapping their environmental trade-offs and reintegration potential. These modelling efforts were supported by microbiological, rheological, and physicochemical tests, which confirmed the safety and quality of the reprocessed product over extended storage. While further research is needed to incorporate social and economic dimensions and to expand applicability across a wider range of food products, this study demonstrates the potential of integrated indicator frameworks like the FCI to guide circularity strategies in food systems. It represents a significant step toward operationalising circularity in food systems by developing and testing a context-specific, product-based assessment framework.