ENERGY USE IN THE MEAT PACKING INDUSTRY: A STUDY OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PRODUCTION AND PROCESS UTILITY REQUIREMENTS IN TWO MIDWESTERN PORK SLAUGHTER AND PROCESSING FACILITIES
Abstract
The food industry consumes 11.9 to 17 percent of the entire national energy requirement. Of this total, the actual processing of foodstuffs requires 4.1 percent of the national usage. Narrowing this amount further, the energy requirements of the meat packing sector has been estimated as 132 trillion BTUs. Subdivision of the national requirements to meat type, individual plant load or process requirements is virtually nonexistent, although some plant level audits have been reported. Little information exists concerning utility consumption and energy losses at the process level. At present, few industry people have knowledge of the energy flow patterns through their own plants except for overall plant utility requirements. Representatives of the meat industry proposed to the Department of Energy that an analysis of the meat packing processes be performed. Beginning in 1977, an intensive energy study commenced in two commercial pork processing plants and the work was finished in 1980. This report summarizes the findings of the energy and water consumption for the processes of the two plants and the relationship of the process energy to production.
Degree
Ph.D.
Subject Area
Food science
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