Browsing by Subject "digestion"

Dairy farms account for a large portion of the greenhouse gas emissions in the planet. Since cow manure provides a good medium for anaerobic digestion, this study analyzes the economic feasibility of installing a biogas plant adjacent to a 200-cow farm in Finland. The farms in this study produce only cow manure and grass silage to feed the digester. This paper focuses in comparing different scenarios such as electricity production for farm needs and the production of biofuels such as compressed biomethane as an additional business activity. After designing the farm economic model and the biogas installation, we provide an economic analysis of each scenario. The first one shows that it is not feasible to run the biogas business model based only on electricity savings for the farm. The second one proves that additional revenue streams such as biofuel production can revitalize and strengthen the financial model of the plant. Then, the sensitivity and reliability of the model is discussed by providing reasons (i.e. Finnish electricity tariff system) for the outcome of the results. The model reinforces the idea that farms must base their biogas business model on alternative side-streams and do not rely on energy production only. For further research, it is recommended that real life farm business models are incorporated as input data and a proven plant and CHP engine energy balance is secured.

The utilization of solid or semi-solid fats and oils in the contemporary food industry, such as palm oil and partially hydrogenated fats and oils, raise concerns due to their high levels of detrimental trans and saturated fatty acids. While regulations now control trans fatty acid levels in food products, fully hydrogenated oils still contribute to the ongoing issue of saturated fats. Oleogels have emerged as an appealing alternative to traditional fats and oils by converting liquid fats into solid matrices without changing the chemical composition of the underlying oils. However, excessive consumption of oleogels, as a source of oil, can increase the risk of obesity and related diseases. Therefore, it is necessary to explore methods to tailor the caloric content and the digestibility of oleogels. Plant-based biomaterials, such as Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) found in green tea leaves and dietary fibers, have been studied for their potential to reduce oil/fat digestion or absorption. In this study, EGCG, along with two types of dietary fibers (wheat dextrin and microcrystalline cellulose), were investigated for their potential to inhibit digestion or absorption and tailor the digestibility of oleogels. The results indicated that the digestibility of oleogels decreased significantly with the increasing content of EGCG. Notably, the greatest reduction in digestibility was achieved when EGCG was added at 80% or higher of the liquid oil mass, while no significant reduction in the effect was found below 16%. However, the addition of both wheat dextrin and microcrystalline cellulose did not demonstrate a reduction in the digestibility of oleogels, and their combination with EGCG did not exhibit any synergistic impact on digestion reduction, allowing them to be used as potential carriers for EGCG delivery. This study provides valuable insights into tailoring the digestibility of oleogels using plant-based biomaterials, paving the way for the development of oleogels with tailorable caloric content and digestibility.