Food Industry and the Environment : Practical Issues and Cost Implications

All areas of industry are facing increasing pressure from governments and consumers to be more environmentally aware. The food industry is no exception, and an increasing number of companies have made the decision to implement an environmental policy. These organisations will benefit from this book, which has been written to provide a broad but detailed introduction to the topic of environmental issues and their cost implica- tions to the food industry. Throughout the text the authors have approached the subject from a practical angle, and have borne in mind the environmental, production or site manager who is grappling with the problem of how to implement such a policy. This book begins by considering the raw materials that are used in the food industry, whether derived from animals, fruit and vegetables, or the products of genetic engineering, as may increasingly be the case in the future. Environmental and cost considerations of food processing opera- tions are then examined, encompassing energy conservation and the con- trol of air, noise and water pollution; all topics that are uppermost in the priorities of the environmental manager. The finished food product also has an impact on its environment, and so the storage, distribution and packaging of foods, post food factory, is discussed in detail. Finally, the principles involved in management accounting for food industry environ- mental issues are highlighted. All the authors of this book are respected experts in their chosen field, each of whom could have written a complete book on their subject.