Economic and environmental analysis of extrusion processing of grains into foods and feeds

One of the major problems facing our planet with such a rapidly growing population is a need for cheap and healthy food in developing countries. Although there have already been many valiant attempts at helping this crisis, a “cure-all” solution is still not likely. A common nutrient lacking from many people’s diets in developing countries is protein. One way in which this problem can be mitigated is through the use of Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP). This product is produced from the grain extrusion process, is lightweight, and carries highprotein content. It is important to analyze if this product can act as a suitable, sustainable option for protein in developing countries. In order to examine this we have focused on Brazil and Bolivia specifically. In this project, we have five scenarios and we will conduct technoeconomic analysis and life cycle assessment to compare all scenarios.