Differences in recognition of physical properties of food in food science and engineering and the influence of water on them were discussed. The physical properties, 'Bussei' in Japanese, can be usually defined in food engineering and physics as 'the physical quantities that characterize a substance and do not depend on the shape and size of the material'. There seem, however, to be other interpretations of the physical properties among food researchers and technologists. For example, some researchers such as food chemists and cooking scientists refer to the dynamic properties and the texture of foods as the 'Bussei', whereas others such as technologists in food companies refer to it as the physical characteristics of foods reflecting some physical phenomena in food manufacturing and preservation processes. Most of the latter two types of 'Bussei' are influenced by the size and shape of materials and are not, therefore, the true physical properties. The type of 'Bussei' useful for food researchers and engineers would, however, vary depending on the situation or problem to be solved. Physical properties of foods are used for several purposes: first, they are indispensable parameters in the engineering models for predicting the optimal conditions for food manufacturing; second, the inner structure or state of food materials can be estimated from the behaviors of some of their physical properties. For example, water interacts with many food components; and thus the amount and/or state of water considerably influences the physical properties of foods, for example, by causing a change in the dynamic properties during sol-gel transition and the glass-rubber transition by the plasticizing effect of water.

[ES] La sostenibilidad y la gestión eficiente de los recursos hídricos se han convertido en temas prioritarios para la industria agroalimentaria debido a la creciente presión sobre los recursos naturales y la demanda de prácticas más responsables. En este contexto, la huella hídrica emerge como una herramienta crucial para evaluar el consumo y la gestión del agua a lo largo de la cadena de producción. El presente TFM se enmarca en las prácticas realizadas por el alumno en la Cátedra de Nueva Transición Verde de la UPV y la colaboración con la Conselleria de Medio Ambiente de la GVA. La Ley 6/2022 del cambio climático y la transición ecológica de la Comunitat Valenciana introduce, en su artículo 80, la creación del Registro de Huella Hídrica de Productos, Servicios y Organizaciones. El objetivo de este TFM es evaluar la viabilidad de realización del cálculo de la huella hídrica por parte de las empresas agroalimentarias para inscribirse en el registro siguiendo la guía metodológica que está desarrollando la Consellería de Medio Ambiente y que necesita ser testada en distintos ámbitos de actividad. Para ello se realiza el cálculo de la huella hídrica de una cooperativa de cítricos de la provincia de Valencia, que representa un caso particular porque se debe contemplar la producción de muchos socios y las operaciones en el almacén hortofrutícola además es el cultivo más característico de la Comunitat Valenciana. Para ello se realiza el cálculo mediante la metodología de Water Footprint Assessment (WFA) llamada huella hídrica en la guía y la metodología de Análisis del Ciclo de vida (ACV) llamada huella de agua en la guía. Los resultados de la huella hídrica se expresan en m3/año, los de la huella de agua se expresan según sus diferentes categorías de impacto, una vez obtenidos se comparan con otros estudios. Este estudio demuestra la viabilidad del proceso de cálculo y de inscripción en el registro, teniendo en cuenta las dificultades encontradas durante el proceso. | [EN] Sustainability and efficient management of water resources have become priority issues for the agri-food industry due to the increasing pressure on natural resources and the demand for more responsible practices. In this context, the water footprint emerges as a crucial tool to assess water consumption and management along the production chain. This TFM is framed within the practices carried out by the student in the Chair of New Green Transition of the UPV and the collaboration with the Department of Environment of the GVA. The Law 6/2022 on climate change and the ecological transition of the Valencian Community introduces, in its article 80, the creation of the Water Footprint Register of Products, Services and Organisations. The aim of this TFM is to assess the feasibility of calculating the water footprint by agri-food companies to be included in the register, following the methodological guide being developed by the Regional Ministry of the Environment, which needs to be tested in different areas of activity. To this end, the water footprint of a citrus fruit cooperative in the province of Valencia is calculated. This is a particular case because it must take into account the production of the members and the postharvest operations in the e warehouse, which is also the most characteristic crop of the Valencia Region. For this purpose, the calculation is carried out using the Water Footprint Assessment (WFA) methodology called water footprint in the guide and the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology called water footprint in the guide. The results of the water footprint are calculated using two approaches and expressed either in m3/year or according to their different impact categories. The results are compared with other studies. In addition, this study demonstrates the feasibility of the calculation and registration process, taking into account the difficulties encountered during the process. | Fernandez Diaz, F. (2024). Estimación de la huella hídrica en una cooperativa agroalimentaria: un test para la implantación del Registro de la Huella Hídrica en la Comunitat Valenciana. Universitat Politècnica de València. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/206389