Spuds Go Green: Eco-friendly Ways to Cut Carbon Emissions in Potato Processing
The focus of decarbonization in the potato processing sector is on resource efficiency, fuel substitution, and CO2 emission reduction solutions. Typically, the sector considers sustainability throughout the entire supply chain, from farmer to customer. Key decarbonization strategies for the potato processing sector in this regard include material efficiency, energy efficiency, and fuel substitution.
Reducing product waste in the process, particularly in the peeling, sorting, and blanching phases, would minimize material requirements, as well as energy and CO2 emissions (both onsite and upstream) to fulfill product demand. Valorization (upcycling) of leftover waste streams could further lower the sector’s energy requirements and CO2 emissions.
Peeling, blanching, and frying are major production steps where innovative energy-saving methods are being developed. Implementing them, coupled with good practices, has the potential to minimize energy use.
The deployment of low-carbon or carbon-neutral energy sources in place of natural gas would eliminate the sector’s direct CO2 emissions. To give heat and steam to the process, these can include biogas, green gas, hydrogen, or carbon-free power.
Reducing Material Losses
In addition to reducing material losses, efficient peelers can benefit from increased energy efficiency. TOMRA installed an efficient steam peeler at a potato processing factory in Switzerland, cutting energy consumption by up to 25% while also reducing peel loss, water usage, and maintenance expenses.
Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) technology can replace traditional steam preheating of potatoes, reducing water usage by 90% compared to steam preheating, improving potato characteristics (for example, creating a smoother cutting surface), and reducing energy consumption for preheating by up to 85%. Lamb Weston Meijer utilized PEF technology to replace its traditional preheating process on one of its lines at its Kruiningen facility, primarily to reduce water usage. It was successful in reducing freshwater use by 8% and energy use by 5%.
The traditional method for lowering enzymatic activity in potatoes is to blanch them in hot water. It uses a lot of energy and water, and the blanched potatoes must be dried afterward (either with air or with water). This process’s wastewater also necessitates extensive treatment to remove nutrients leached from the potatoes as well as any chemicals (typically used to preserve color and deactivate enzymes). The process can be carried out in batches or constantly on a moving belt, often in a drum blancher. Its advantages include simplicity and inexpensive capital expenditures. Beyond French fries and potato chips, blanching is employed in a range of fruit and vegetable processing industries, and new technologies are being developed to offer similar goods more effectively.
You can read the rest of this article in your complimentary e-copy of Issue 4 of Potato Business Dossier 2023, which you can access by clicking here.