Techno-economic feasibility & environmental sustainability of producing nutritionally enhanced snack foods from agro-food byproducts using supercritical CO2-based extrusion

This study evaluated the economic feasibility and environmental sustainability of producing nutritionally superior snacks on an industrial scale by supercritical fluid extrusion (SCFX) using milk protein concentrate (MPC81-AP) or starch (Starch-AP)-based formulations enriched with apple pomace powder. Selected nutrient contents and antioxidant attributes were also studied to highlight the nutritional qualities of the final products. For large-scale implementation using a low-temperature (85 degrees C) and low-shear SCFX system, capital budgeting, breakeven point, and profitability ratios were determined. During a standard 12-hour production run, a substantial margin of safety of 29.03% and a breakeven point of 0.71 years were estimated, indicating resilience against potential losses and a swift return on investment. The projected prices for MPC81-AP and Starch-AP -based products were $30.13/kg (Similar market snacks, $32-150/kg) and $26.29/kg, respectively. In summary, both formulations exhibited superior nutritional qualities, better gross profit margins and return on in-vestment with environmentally sustainability, compared with the conventional extrudate snack foods available in the market today.