Gate/GTZ 
Interdev Agroalimentaire  

NEW PACKAGING - LESS REJECTS - A Food Processor in the Philippines

	Type de fiche	Description d'entreprise
	Mise en œuvre	Philippine Trade Training Center
(Philippines), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH  
 (Allemagne)
	
	Zone géographique	Asie; Philippines; 
	
	Public(s) cible(s)	small enterpreneurs

Problématique / Objectifs
This family-run business employed 35 people and another 20 workers during seasonal peaks in production. As a supplier of flavouring constituents to other food processors in the region, one of the company's main products was chicken fat. Customers were unsatisfied with the quality of this product, rejecting many shipments of chicken fat due to rancidity. Solutions were found to reduce packaging costs and to ensure a better mixing of added antioxidants used to preserve the produce during transport and use. As well, methods were implemented to reduce water pollution thereby avoiding the need to invest in an expensive waste water treatment plant.
Description/Mise en oeuvre
To preserve freshness, the company added an antioxidant to the chicken fat, which was then packed in high-density polyethylene pails lined with low-density polyethylene bags for shipping to local food processors. Despite these measures, customers were frequently returning the chicken fat due to rancidity. The method of adding antioxidant did not ensure even mixing and as a result, most of the chicken fat was left unprotected.

ACTIONS TAKEN WITHIN THE ENTERPRISE
* The method for adding antioxidants was improved by using serial dilutions: the concentrated antioxidant is first diluted with some chicken fat. As a second step, this mixture is thoroughly mixed into the whole batch.
* Instead of using polyethylene bags, the product was placed directly into food grade, high-density polyethylene pails and sealed with fitted covers for protection and to prevent spillage during handling and delivery.
* A series of simple screens were installed along the waste water canal to capture fats, greases, and other solids and remove these from the waste water before it entered the discharge pond.

Résultats/Eléments chiffrés
Investment cost: 0
	
Annual savings:
US$ 8,250 - By eliminating the need to reprocess 30% of chicken fats that were previously being returned
US$ 650 - By removing the polyethylene bag liner (5 pesos or US$ 12.5 cents per bag @ 100 pails of chicken fat per week)
Payback period: immediate	

Enseignements
 ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS
By solving the rancidity problem, the company avoided reprocessing a significant amount of its finished products and generated less solid waste (from having to dispose of some product returns) thereby avoiding labour costs and energy use for reprocessing. The company's waste water is also now less polluted and therefore more easily cleaned in the local sewage treatment system due to the fact that there are less fats and food residues in the waste water. Furthermore, the elimination of double-packaging by removing the inner polyethylene bag liner has a direct ecological effect as less petrochemical resources are used for making the bags and fewer bags are used in the packaging process, which must then be disposed of.

ORGANISATIONAL IMPROVEMENTS
Through interaction and discussion with other companies having common concerns, this company learned about the design and installation of screening, which improved the quality of its waste water. By clarifying its waste stream through the removal of fats and other solid wastes, the company avoided the expense of investing in an on-site waste water treatment plant.

Auteur : Carolin Bothe
Saisie le : 08/01/2002 

		Pour aller plus loin

	Contact	Philippine Trade Training Center
, PTTC Philippines

, 1300 Pasay City, Metro Manila
Tel.:632 834 134 449, Fax: 632 834 134 3, E-mail: MenandroOrtego@dti.gov.ph
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH  
 , GTZ
Postfach 5180, 62726, Eschborn
Tel.:++49 (0)6196 79-0, Fax: (0)6196 79-1115, E-mail: firstname.lastname@gtz.de
Site web: http://www.gtz.de/

	Références Bibliographiques	Eimer, Petra (P3U team); Bark, Kerstin .- Good Housekeeping Guide for Food Manufacturing and Processing , 2000/11/1  .- 100 pgs