Food Processing and Our Environment

Food Processing and Our Environment

Nico Verhoeven

Introduction

Increased Population = Increased Food Demand

Unsustainable Expansion of Food Processing Industry

More Water/Power

More Physical Space

More Waste

Need to Minimize Footprint

Motivation

Experience in Food Processing Industry

Charlottetown Metal Products LTD.

Welder

Junior Designer

Global Project Involvement

Seafood

Fruit/Berry

Potato

The Problem: Power

Facilities Consume Immense Amounts of Power

Sorting

Cleaning

Cooking

Study In Denmark1

104,500 TJ/year For Heating, etc.

30,700 TJ/year for Power

Small relative To China/US

The Problem: Physical Space

Facilities require lots of infrastructure

Roadways

Water Access

More demand = More/larger Facilities

Disrupts ecosystem/Displaces wildlife

Less room to grow raw product

The Problem: Waste

More Food Production = More Waste

Canada : 7.3 billion kg in 20092

Equivalent to 37% of Total Food Available

10.4 billion kg in 2008

Overproduction -> Price Reduction -> Overconsumption -> More waste

How can we fix it? : The Reality

Solution does not rely on engineers

Population must adjust habits accordingly

As needed vs. Stocked for convenience

Smaller/Local Production

How can we fix it? : The Interim

CMP’s Continuous High-Pressure Steam Cooker

Double Rotary Valve System

Superheated Steam

Up to 70% Energy Savings3

Reduced energy waste

Less water use

Less Physical space

Compact Design

10’ H x 10’ L x 3’ W

Multi-Application Device