Abstract
Colombia is among the five main exporters of Hass avocado worldwide. This fruit is supplied to more than 38 international markets, including Spain, France, the United Kingdom, China, Japan, and the Netherlands. While the avocado pulp is widely consumed, the seed and peel are usually discarded despite their high content of antioxidants, phytochemicals, and compounds with anti-inflammatory properties. In this study, the exergy sensitivity associated with the valorization of Hass avocado seed cultivated in the Colombian Amazon was evaluated through the application of the biorefinery concept. This approach integrates simultaneous valorization routes to produce starch, a biocontrol agent, and a biofilm. The objective of this assessment is to determine the optimal conditions to improve the overall exergy efficiency and reduce the unavoidable losses of the system through the analysis of different scenarios and process variations. The exergy analysis yielded an overall exergy efficiency of 68.6%. Furthermore, the sensitivity analysis showed that the drying and separation stages have the greatest influence on system performance, as the drying efficiencies of starch and biofilm can reach values between 95–99% under optimized conditions. The results also indicate that avoidable losses contribute more significantly to the reduction of system sensitivity than irreversibilities associated with the second law of thermodynamics. These findings highlight the potential of cascade biorefineries to reduce energy demand and associated greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to the development of more sustainable and low-carbon production systems.
