Life Cycle Assessment of Apple Powders Produced by a Drum Drying Process

Abstract

This work aimed at evaluating the environmental performances of apple powders production based on a life cycle approach. Fruit powders are convenient, easy to handle and can be used to prepare several products such as snacks, beverages, bakery goods and baby foods. To preserve fruit nutritional properties, mainly three drying methodologies are used: convective or direct (for example, spray drying), indirect or contact (for example, drum drying), and freeze drying (lyophilisation). Among them, drum drying is often used in the case of large and continuous productions because of the simple structure of the dryers, less failure and low maintenance costs.In this work, a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) study was performed to evaluate the environmental impacts of the industrial phases of apple powders production, obtained by a drum drying process. The system boundaries covered the industrial stages of the process, the distribution and the waste disposal (gate-to-gate and gate-to-grave approach). The materials and energy consumption and the emissions to air, soil and water were reported to the chosen functional unit (1 package of apple powder). Data were analysed using SimaPro8.0.3 software and the Ecoinvent database, in accordance with the reference standard for LCA (i.e., ISO 14040-14044) to identify environmental key performance indicators (KPIs).