Sustainability in the vegetable food supply chain - overview of the results of the project SUNNIVA

SUNNIVA addressed the entire food supply chain for tomatoes, Brassica and their derived products. The work packages focussed on sustainability by using high-throughput non-destructive optical tools to optimize harvest time and determine the effects of elicitor treatments during pre-processing storage (WP1); effect of subsequent innovative processing on the health beneficial compounds (WP2); mathematical modelling of the oscillated convection of an innovative shaking retort system (WP3); developing bio-refinery process schemes for several vegetable by-products and applying pilot-scale tests with innovative pressing technologies (WP4) and evaluation of vegetable waste fractions for their potential to be included in organic fertilizers or soil amendments (WP5). The results demonstrated that non-destructive optical tools for monitoring specific phytochemicals in tomato and Brassica could replace expensive destructive analyses allowing rapid decisions on harvest time and how to best utilize vegetable raw material or waste fractions. Rational designs of cabbage and/or tomato containing foods were applied to exploit biological activity of phytochemicals where vegetables were microwave-processed and applied in commercial meat production lines to obtain pâtés and sausages with improved health quality. Experimental validation of the CFD model was completed and optimal shaking rate for low viscosity cases was determined, followed by determining viscosity effects and shaking rate of oscillated retort systems. Intensive mixing and significant effect of viscosity changes were demonstrated to determine optimum processing conditions to improve quality and enable energy savings. Vegetable by-products represented interesting feedstock with opportunities to recycle into the food chain. Product development focussed on juice and puree products. Further research will focus on the use of press cakes in food applications. Nutrient and phytochemical content of dried vegetable waste fractions were characterized and the effect on plant growth was tested for the most promising fractions. A cost-effective drying method remains a bottleneck for application and will be investigated further.