Aplicación de un modelo de optimización de uso de suero de leche orientada a la circularidad en PyMEs fabricantes de queso del cantón Píllaro, provincia de Tungurahua

Abstract

The production of fresh cheese is an important source of income for the small and medium businesses of the Píllaro canton. The objective of this research project was to apply a model for optimizing the use of whey oriented towards circularity in small and medium businesses that manufacture cheese in the Píllaro canton, through the reinsertion of whey in the production of a fermented milk drink. (yogurt with whey) taking advantage of a resource considered waste. The production process of fresh cheese and whey in the La Esencia dairy product factory was characterized with the use of the Value Stream Map diagnostic tool to identify in which part of the process the whey is produced (waste). in addition to providing the necessary data to develop the material balance, as well as the identification of the process that limits production. With the survey applied to the 13 owners of dairy-producing small and medium businesses in the Píllaro sector, the current state of the production of fresh cheese and daily whey in the sector was identified. Finally, the data was reflected in an optimization model that, based on the increase in the product portfolio, maximized the sales of SMEs from 984 dollars for the sale of a single product to 2,400 dollars for the sale of two products. Therefore, the proposed optimization model demonstrates that whey used as raw material generates financial gains for small and medium businesses in Píllaro.