Food supply in times of crisis - the potential to utilise side streams from the Swedish food industry

Abstract

This thesis investigates the potential to utilise six side streams/export streams from the Swedish food industry for human consumption in times of crisis. Side streams that are not the industry’s main purpose but could still contribute to nutrition. Currently, these streams are going to biofuel production or production of animal feed. The aim of this master thesis is therefore to study the potential to utilise side and export streams from the Swedish food industry for human consumption, in the event of a shortage of food in a crisis.

The yield, characteristics, and nutritional composition of the streams were found in a literature study. To strengthen the results from the literature study, semi-structured interviews with Swedish food companies, research, and the Swedish Food Agency were conducted. From these interviews, problems, challenges, and opportunities could be identified. Economic obstacles, sensory challenges, antinutrients, and regulations were the four factors found to be the major obstacles of not being able to utilise the streams at present. Therefore, more research needs to be done in theory and practice. Calculations of the nutritional content in terms of calories and macronutrients were also done. The studies streams could contribute to 380 kcal/capita/day which corresponds to 15.5% of the daily nutritional need in a potential crisis.

It is discussed about what potential applications there is with using some of the side streams. For instance, one of the applications is fortifying already existing food to increase the nutritional content, but also using them as growing substrate for other food items, or to make whole new products.

The food industry’s role in a crisis was also investigated due to its importance in the food crisis supply management in Sweden. Their main purpose is to supply the population with food and nutrients. Therefore, it is of great importance that the production can resist disturbances in society. This could for example be if there were to be an import or export stop from other countries. Working with these issues could increase the use of food from Swedish sources and increase self-sufficiency in the food sector.

Abstract (Swedish)

Denna uppsats undersöker potentialen att utnyttja sex sidoströmmar/exportströmmar från den svenska livsmedelsindustrin till livsmedel för människor. Sidoströmmar som inte är industriens huvudsakliga syfte men skulle kunna bidra med näring. I dagsläget går majoriteten av strömmarna till produktion av biobränsle eller till djurfoder.

En litteraturstudie genomfördes där strömmarnas avkastning, egenskaper samt näringssammansättning identifierades. Resultatet från litteraturstudien stärktes genom semi- strukturerade intervjuer med företag från livsmedelsindustrin, forskare och Livsmedelsverket. Utifrån intervjuerna hittades problem, utmaningar och möjligheter kopplat till strömmarna. Ekonomiska hinder, sensoriska utmaningar, antinutrienter samt föreskrifter var de fyra faktorer som inte gör det möjligt att utnyttja strömmarna i dagsläget. Mer forskning inom detta område behövs göras, både på ett teoretiskt och praktiskt plan. Beräkningar av näringsinnehållet i form av kalorier och makronutrienter genomfördes också på de sex strömmarna. Det resulterade i 380 kcal/capita/dag vilket motsvarar 15,5% av det dagliga näringsintaget i en eventuell kris.

Det diskuteras även potentiella användningsområden som dessa sidoströmmar kan användas till. Exempel på det skulle kunna vara, att berika redan existerande matprodukter som finns på marknaden för att öka näringsvärdet. Det skulle även gå att använda dessa strömmar som näringsmedel för andra livsmedelskategorier eller för att tillverka nya produkter.

Livsmedelsindustrins roll i en kris undersöktes också på grund av den stora roll i försörjningen utav livsmedel i Sverige de har. Det huvudsakliga syftet är att förmedla mat och näring till den svenska befolkningen. Därför är det av stor vikt att produktionen kan stå emot samhällsstörningar, i form av exempelvis import/export stopp till/från andra länder. Om detta görs, kan användandet av livsmedel från svenska råvaror, vilket i sin tur kan öka självförsörjningsgraden i livsmedelssektorn.

Popular Abstract

If Sweden were in a crisis, how could the food industry provide more food to the population? Using their side streams could be the answer!

Today, we all know that we need to grow more food within Sweden's borders and not import too much, so that we can be self-sufficient in our food system. However, the discussion about what role the food industry has in terms of crisis preparedness is often forgotten.

Sweden is facing one of the biggest geopolitical situations since the Second World War. The Covid-19 pandemic and war in the nearby area have increased questions connected to crisis preparedness. Included in crisis preparedness is also the question regarding providing nutritious food to the 10 million Swedes.

The private sector strongly dominates the food sector in terms of food companies that together create the food industry. From the production of food, the industry always creates side streams. These side streams are not companies main focus but they could still provide nutrition to the population. That is why, in this study, six different side streams were chosen due to their large volumes and nutritional content. The six streams studied were bran from cereals, brewers spent grain, by-products from slaughter, distiller grains, rapeseed cake and skim milk powder.
The goal with the study is to investigate the potential of the side stream to convert them into food for humans to eat.

Nutritional calculations showed that if all problems and challenges were solved, the side streams could contribute 380 kcal/capita/day i.e. 15.5 % of the total nutritional need in a potential crisis (2450 kcal/capita/day). In peacetime the daily calorie need is slightly lower (2350 kcal/capita/day).

Right now, the streams are not possible to consume for humans at least. The problems connected are; economic obstacles, antinutrients, sensorial factors and regulations. In other words, this means that the side streams do not have a big enough value for the companies to make a profit out of it. Regarding sensorial factors, it means that these streams do not taste good because of the fibre content and the antinutrients that gives a bitter taste. Getting rid of the antinutrients will solve some of the issues above, but there are no solutions found. The regulations are connected to the food safety aspect of the stream, which is not something the industry is prioritising for the side streams.

• author: Nilsson, Nanna and Johansson, Sara
• supervisor: Håkan Jönsson; Serina Ahlgren
• organization: Food Technology and Nutrition (M.Sc.)
• course: KLTM02 20241
• year: 2024
• type: H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
• subject: Technology and Engineering
• keywords: Side stream, Crisis, Sweden, Food industry, Food supply management, food engineering, nutrition and food chemistry
• language: English
• id: 9157384
• date added to LUP: 2024-06-11 08:21:41
• date last changed: 2024-06-11 08:21:41