Environmental, energy, and economic assessment of bread‐making processes: A case study

Abstract

AbstractFifteen million tons of bread is annually produced in Iran of which the 80% of share in production belongs to traditional bakeries. The present study examines the aspects of the energetic, economic, and environmental impacts of production of Iranian breads (Barbari, Lavash, and Sangak). The results showed that energy demand of a typical baking process of Iranian breads is 22.93–26.08 MJ kg−1. The annual energy utilization of these bakeries is 239.57 TJ, accompanied with 13,308 ton year−1 of CO2 emissions. Sangak bread production had the highest energy efficiency, energy productivity, and the lowest rejected energy. In terms of economic aspects, the highest net income, profit to cost, and economic productivity, were related to Barbari bread production. Sangak bread production had the least environmental impacts. Lavash bread production, although it is the thinnest bread, had the highest energy consumption, was responsible for emitting the largest share of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) to the atmosphere and it had the lowest economic return. The flour was the most influential input on the energy efficiency, cost, and GHG emissions among the three examined types of bread production. Therefore, improving wheat cultivars and flour production process, may reduce the energy consumption and the GHG emissions in the bread industry.