Solar food processing

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Solar food processing is an innovative and multi-faceted technique capable of addressing various problems faced by people in the developing world. The implementation of technologies for food processing and conservation using solar energy can indirectly help to reduce poverty, improve health conditions, create sustainable local economic opportunities, and limit environmental damage by promoting the use of clean and renewable energy sources. This project targets developing countries with a high solar radiation potential, in particular those countries in need of unique and sustainable development assistance and ideas that relate to solar food products.

The project aims to extend and develop efficient methods of solar food processing for the following activities:

• Conservation of fruits and vegetables (See Canning and Drying.)
• Drying crops (See Solar food drying)
• Roasting different kind of nuts
• Pasteurising juice, fruits and vegetables
• Baking bread and cake. (See Solar restaurants and bakeries.)

Objectives:

• Improvement in the quality of food;
• Creation of local jobs and income; (See Income generation.)
• Demonstrating environmental benefits (with high potential for CO₂ emissions reduction)
• Involvement of local personnel and local resources
• Creation of a new market and encouragement of economic competition in this field.

[Text for this topic was taken from Solar Food Processing - Network and Support]

Recent news and developments

• January 2013: The Solar Food Processing Network meets to discuss international standards - The Solar Food Processing Network (SFPN) held a regional workshop in January 2013 at the Muni Seva Ashram in Goraj, Vadodara, Gujarat, India. This gathering was a follow-up to the 2009 AFPN conference held in Indore, India in 2010. Workshop participants heard from food marketing and technology experts. Conference organizers, Deepak Gadhia and Rolf Behringer held discussions on local and international marketing, village industries, packaging, policy interventions, R&D, and effective monitoring and evaluation of projects. Attendees discussed the formation of an international solar food standard and shared their own practical experiences using solar technology for food processing. Visit the Solar Food Processing Network to see a muscial video of the event and videos of solar food processing projects in Burkina Faso.

Events

Articles in the media

• April 2008: Using the Power of the Sun to Help Make SunChips Multigrain Snacks - Frito-Lay press release

Audio and Video

Documents

• September 2014: State Of The Art Solar Bubble Dryer™ Promises To Help Farmers Dry Their Commodities - Solar Thermal magazine
• January 2009: Solar distillation for essential oils extraction - a decentralised approach for rural development - Ing. Anjum Munir & Dr. Oliver Hensel
• January 2009: Processing of agricultural products in solar cooker for income generation - Navratna Nahar, P. Sharma, and G.R. Chaudhary
• January 2009: Watermelon Processing in Triple Purpose Solar Integrated Device - P.C. Pande
• January 2009: Thematic studies for processing and preservation of food supplement, chilies and ginger by drying through solar energy - Ranjita Bezbaruah Sharma
• January 2009: Practical Application of Solar Tunnel Dryers - Klaus Triebe
• January 2009: Perspectives of solar food processing in India - C. Palaniappan
• January 2009: CHOCOSOL - An experience of producing joy without generating malice - Aline Desentis Otálora
• January 2009: Food processing through solar energy - Ghanshyam Lukhi
• January 2009: Micro-enterprises in Solar Food Processing Technology - Case Study - M. Ramakrishna Rao, D.J. Rao, S.L. Kumar
• January 2009: Advancing towards achievement of Millennium Development Goals by training Rural and Tribal women in Solar Food Processing - A Hands-on Experience at Barli Development Institute for Rural Women in Central India - Dr. Janak McGilligan
• January 2009: Promotion of Smoke Free Villages in Chittoor District & Employment Generation to Rural Youth Through Solar Food Processing - Jagadeeswara Reddy
• January 2009: Agave syrup production – a sweet tradition goes solar - Gregor Schapers
• July 2006: Summary of Available Technologies for Food Transformation with Solar Energy - Solis Gutierrez
• July 2006: An Example of Solar Food Processing: Cooperative Production of Agave Syrup in Mexico - Heike Hoedt
• July 2006: The Potential of Using Panel Solar Cookers to Process Full-Fat Soybeans (Glycine max) for Urease Activity - Irvin Mpofu
• July 2006: An Example of Solar Food Processing: Cooperative Production of Agave Syrup in Mexico - Heike Hoedt
• Solar Food Processing - Network and Support - Rolf Behringer

See also

• Solar food drying
• Non-cooking uses
• Income generation
• Coffee roasting
• Chocosol (Making chocolate with the sun for sale in Mexico)
• A brochure from the International Solar Energy Society about using of solar energy to process food
• Solar Food Processing Network
• Dada Zanzibar is very active income generation by means of solar food processing.
• Solar Roasted Peanut Butter Plant

External links

• http://solarfood.org
• Solar Processing of Dal - Planters Energy Network
• Syrup Producer in Mexico Uses Solar Cooking to Process Agave
• Second International Solar Food Processing Conference in India, 14 to 16 January 2009 - Conference papers now available online (These have also been integrated into this wiki).
• Food processing technical briefs from Practical Action
• Solar food processing in Afghanistan
• A brochure from the International Solar Energy Society covering the various uses of solar energy to process food (Spanish version) (French version) (German version)
• Solar Food Processing - Network and Support - Rolf Behringer
• Effect of pressure and solar cooking on phytic acid and polyphenal content of cowpeas (Abstract: Both pressure cooking and solar cooking significantly reduced the phytic acid and polyphenol content of cowpea cultivars. A significantly greater reduction in the content of both these antinutrients was noticed during pressure and solar cooking of soaked cowpeas compared to unsoaked seeds. The percentage reduction increased when the soaked cowpeas were dehulled and then cooked by both pressure and solar cooking. The results of the study reveal that solar cooking was more effective than pressure cooking in reducing the concentrations of phytic acid and polyphenols in cowpeas. The cumulative effect of soaking and dehulling, followed by solar cooking, was the removal of most of the polyphenols (88-94 per cent). Such practices should be encouraged at the home level for the preparation of cowpea seeds.)