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Translation of the traditional chuno production process to a semi-industrial one: impact on quality and economic viability

Ongoing

This project starts from the need in Peru where potatoes are 'freeze-dried' at high altitudes in the Andes. These dried potatoes are called 'chuño's'. To secure the income of farmers in the region Apurimac, the local farmer cooperation Coopagros has recently invested in chuño processing machinery to replace the labour intensive traditional production into an efficient semi-industrial process, but also to overcome the problem of the unsta-ble frost period during the production season. The translation of a traditional process to a semi-industrial one will have an impact on the quality of the chuño and the cost. This project will start optimising 2 production steps (next to drying and peeling) in the chuño process on a (semi) industrial way, that is freezing and water sub-merging. Both process steps will be optimised in the chuño cooperative by the project partners for the three most important chuño potato cultivars. Optimisation of the production will be fulfilled based on quality and sensory analyses, and will be compared with traditional produced chuño. Finally, an economic evaluation will be made to determine the economic viability.

Intervention type

South Initiatives

Duration

01/01/2019 - 31/12/2021

This project is being implemented in:
Flemish promoter Marianne De Meerleer
Local promoter Thomas Ancco Vizcarra
GEO Kathleen Van Heule
Local partner institution Hogeschool Gent
visit www.hogent.be
Local partner institution Universidad Nacional José María Arguedas
Other Flemish Partners Instituut voor Landbouw-, Visserij- en Voedingsonderzoek
Trias
Other local partners International Potato Center
Budget € 69.850