Sustainable processing potential of Finnish natural food products : a techno economical evaluation for SME-scale production
Rabiei Pour, Homayoun (2026)
Diplomityö
2026
School of Engineering Science, Kemiantekniikka
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https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2026060361790
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi-fe2026060361790
Tiivistelmä
This thesis examines sustainable processing alternatives for Finnish natural food products from a techno-economic perspective. The study focuses on natural and semi-cultivated raw materials such as berries, herbs, mushrooms, forest-based materials, and selected side-streams. The aim is to evaluate how processing methods can be selected in a way that supports sustainability, economic feasibility, and practical use for small-scale and regional producers.
The thesis uses a mixed-methods approach. Empirical data were collected through interviews and field observations with Finnish natural food producers and related actors. These data were combined with scientific literature, Finnish development project material, and secondary techno-economic data on selected processing technologies. The main technologies considered include drying, freezing, blanching, milling, extraction, fermentation, and selected advanced methods such as freeze-drying, microwave-vacuum drying, cryogenic processing, and supercritical CO₂ extraction.
The results show that Finnish natural food producers mainly use traditional and semi-mechanized methods. Some of these methods are drying, freezing, cooking, pasteurization, cold pressing, and milling. These are suitable for producers who work with seasonal materials and have small-batch productions. But they also have their challenges and limitations. These challenges can be related to energy use, capacity, labour, moisture control, packaging, scalability, and access to advanced equipment. The techno-economic comparison helps us to realize that some methods, such as mechanical freezing, basic drying, cooking, pasteurization, and hammer milling are easy to access and use for most of the natural producers in smaller scale. Although more advanced techniques improve product quality and add value, but they are not commonly accessible for most of the producers. So, in order to be suitable for more producers, they can be used through shared facilities, outsourcing, cooperatives, or industrial-scale production.
The thesis concludes that in order to move toward sustainable modernization of Finnish natural food products, needs to gradually and step by step. The shift shouldn’t be sudden, and it shouldn’t be from basic to completely advanced techniques and equipment, since it will be very costly for the businesses. Instead, the thesis suggests that this goal can be reached by improving the current existing practices, using intermediate methods when it is feasible, and considering shared or outsourced advanced processing when product value and production volume justify the investment.
The thesis uses a mixed-methods approach. Empirical data were collected through interviews and field observations with Finnish natural food producers and related actors. These data were combined with scientific literature, Finnish development project material, and secondary techno-economic data on selected processing technologies. The main technologies considered include drying, freezing, blanching, milling, extraction, fermentation, and selected advanced methods such as freeze-drying, microwave-vacuum drying, cryogenic processing, and supercritical CO₂ extraction.
The results show that Finnish natural food producers mainly use traditional and semi-mechanized methods. Some of these methods are drying, freezing, cooking, pasteurization, cold pressing, and milling. These are suitable for producers who work with seasonal materials and have small-batch productions. But they also have their challenges and limitations. These challenges can be related to energy use, capacity, labour, moisture control, packaging, scalability, and access to advanced equipment. The techno-economic comparison helps us to realize that some methods, such as mechanical freezing, basic drying, cooking, pasteurization, and hammer milling are easy to access and use for most of the natural producers in smaller scale. Although more advanced techniques improve product quality and add value, but they are not commonly accessible for most of the producers. So, in order to be suitable for more producers, they can be used through shared facilities, outsourcing, cooperatives, or industrial-scale production.
The thesis concludes that in order to move toward sustainable modernization of Finnish natural food products, needs to gradually and step by step. The shift shouldn’t be sudden, and it shouldn’t be from basic to completely advanced techniques and equipment, since it will be very costly for the businesses. Instead, the thesis suggests that this goal can be reached by improving the current existing practices, using intermediate methods when it is feasible, and considering shared or outsourced advanced processing when product value and production volume justify the investment.