Modelling and optimization of quality and costs on empirical data of hearth bread.

摘要

Finding the optimal combination of raw material and process settings whilst maintaining desirable price for and quality of end products presents a challenge within the food industry. Availability and cost of the raw material and processing costs have to be considered. In this study, nonlinear programming was used to minimize costs for producing hearth bread (while retaining the desired quality) when different product characteristics were influenced by input variables. Results determined that relations between wheat flours, process settings and quality of the end product of hearth breads are complex, involving various contradictory elements. Nonlinear programming was found to be useful when searching for least cost solutions of flour blend and process settings. It was also shown that pricing regimes focusing on protein content versus protein quality influenced the optimal flour blend and process. Effects of model uncertainty, various pricing systems for wheat flours and capacity costs on optimal solutions are discussed.