Evaluation of the Effects of Raw Tomato Quality Fluctuations on Energy Productivity and Economic Sustainability of Tomato Paste Production Lines in Iranian Food Processing Industries

Abstract

The tomato paste industry in Iran represents one of the most important sectors of agro-food processing industries, playing a significant role in energy consumption, agricultural value creation, and food supply chain development. In recent years, fluctuations in raw tomato quality caused by climatic variability, environmental stresses, regional cultivation differences, harvesting conditions, and postharvest handling deficiencies have directly affected production efficiency, energy consumption, process stability, and economic sustainability of tomato paste manufacturing plants. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of raw tomato quality variations, including Brix content, moisture level, soluble solids concentration, pH, physical damage, size uniformity, and raw material losses, on energy productivity and economic sustainability indicators in industrial tomato paste production lines in Iran. Operational and industrial data collected from several Iranian food processing factories during the period 2021–2024 were analyzed. The assessment framework included steam consumption, electricity demand, evaporation efficiency, process waste generation, raw material conversion efficiency, energy cost per ton of product, and operational profitability indicators. Correlation analysis, multivariate statistical modeling, and industrial energy productivity assessment methods were employed to investigate the relationships between raw material quality parameters and production performance indicators. The findings demonstrated that reductions in raw tomato quality, particularly lower Brix values and increased raw material waste, significantly increased thermal energy consumption, reduced evaporation efficiency, and raised overall production costs. Factories implementing advanced raw material grading and intelligent quality control systems exhibited greater economic stability and lower operational variability. The results further indicated that even a one-percent improvement in Brix content could substantially reduce steam consumption while improving economic productivity. The study highlights that raw material quality management should not be considered solely as a quality assurance issue, but rather as an integral component of energy optimization and sustainable industrial development strategies in food processing industries. The findings provide a practical analytical framework for industrial energy management, economic optimization, and sustainable production planning in Iranian tomato paste manufacturing systems.