INTERNATIONAL CLEANER PRODUCTION INFORMATION CLEARINGHOUSE

Case Study #67    
1.   Headline: Use of physical systems alternatives to       
synthetic chemicals for storage of hard wheat    
2.   Background: See below.    
3.   Cleaner Production Principle: New technology, good       
housekeeping    
4.   Description of Cleaner Production Application: This case       
study, carried out in 1992, was achieved by using applying       
a variety of physical storage systems for wheat storage       
rather than the addition of chemical substances. Physical       
systems are claimed not to damage the product and       
consequently to be harmless to consumers. In the       
traditional process, traces of toxic chemicals (below       
legal limits) might remain in the product after industrial       
processing. Fumigation gases (phosphine) used for wheat       
preservation were released to the atmosphere.         
Among the various systems (i.e. nitrogen, carbon dioxide,       
forced cooling) tested by the food industry for the       
preservation of hard wheat stored in silos or horizontal       
garners, carbon dioxide and force cooling were adopted.       
The resistance to biological attacks is reported as       
excellent and the product quality greatly improved. The       
carbon dioxide and forced cooling alternatives avoid toxic       
residues that had previously been present even at the end       
of a purification process (from wheat to pasta).    
5.   Economics:         Investment costs: The carbon dioxide and forced cooling       
technologies required structural changes at the storage       
facilities. Assuming 10 years of amortization time the       
costs are respectively: for a cement made silo/garner       
(lire per 100 kg): via the C02 method: 510 and via forced       
cooling: 410. Metallic made silo/garner required       
investments of: via the C02 method: 180; and via forced       
cooling 290.         
Operational and Maintenance Costs ran:       
--for the cement made silo/garner 125 via C02 method and       
114 via forced cooling       
--for the metallic made silo/garner: 143 via the C02      
method and 209 via forced cooling.         
Similar operation and maintenance costs for the       
traditional technology using the chemical phosphine ran       
280.    
6.   Advantages: The direct environmental and human health       
benefits follow:         
-Better food product characteristics: residual toxic       
substances in the food matrix are eliminated      
-Atmospheric pollution of gaseous toxic chemicals used for       
hard wheat preservation is also eliminated       
-Waste liquors containing toxic substance from the washing       
process of hard wheat are eliminated.    
7.   Constraints: The use of carbon dioxide could generate in       
the near future environmental protection problems if the       
gas used in the process is released to the atmosphere.       
Today specific regulations about carbon dioxide release do       
not exist, they could be adopted in the near future       
because of the considerable amount of gas released to the       
atmosphere by energy production, industrial activities and       
natural processes. In addition, the costs of energy       
involved in forced cooling can be high.    
8.   Contacts:         
Mr Franco Dimarchi       
Barilla G&R F.lli SpA       
Via Mantova 166       
I - 43100 PARMA Italy       
TEL: 39 521 2621       
FAX: 39 521 270 621         
Mr G Bardone       
ENEA CRE Casaccia       
Dip Ambiente       
Via Anguillarese 301       
00060 - S Maria di Galeria ROME       
Italy       
TEL: 396 3048 6662       
FAX: 396 3048 3220    
9.   Keywords: Italy, food processing, wheat, new technology,       
phosphine, pesticide, cooling, refrigeration, agriculture    
10.  Reviewer's comments: This case study was submitted to UNEP       
IE in 1994 by Italy's ENEA. It was reviewed and edited by       
UNEP IE in July 1995. It has not undergone a formal       
technical review.