Optimización del proceso de desaponificado de la quinua por el método de lavado, mediante la implementación de una lavadora industrial en la empresa Asoalienu.

Abstract

The present titling project was developed as part of the Linking Project with the Community, between the Higher Polytechnic School of Chimborazo and the association of entrepreneurs "Asoalienu". A detailed analysis of the case study was carried out. A quinoa washing machine was designed under parameters of the processing’s quantity-already established by the company ASOALIENU- of 1 quinoa ton weekly. We investigated the types of materials that may be in direct contact with food through the regulations in force in Ecuador, opting for the application of the Technical Standard Substituting Good Manufacturing Practices for Processed Foods. Selecting the AISI 304 stainless steel as the ideal material for the construction of the quinoa washing machine. The quinoa washer is made up of a metal structure resistant to 640 kg with a safety factor of 1, a 2 HP engine and a GOULS 4SH pump was chosen, which complies with the suction characteristics of the mixture of grains and water. Once the quinoa washer was built, tests were carried out to determine its correct operation and a comparison was made with the manual washing process, determining the effectiveness of the washing machine when processing 500 pounds of quinoa in 31 minutes and 42 seconds, compared with the Manual wash time for the same amount of product with a result of 5 hours and 52 minutes. Achieving a time optimization ratio of approximately 12: 1. Among the advantages of the quinoa washing machine implemented in the company "Asoalienu" are the considerable reduction in production times and the production of a saponin-free quinoa grain. In addition, the quinoa production process is at an industrial level thanks to its great washing capacity.