Estandarización de procesos de control de calidad para análisis fisicoquímicos y microbiológicos de las grasas de una curtiduría de Ambato

Abstract

In Ecuador, the leather industry plays a crucial role in the economy, being a strategic sector that significantly contributes to the country's development. During the processing of bovine hides, between 70 and 230 kg of waste is generated from the fleshing process, including fats. This type of solid waste is deposited in landfills, reaching between 5 and 7 tons per day, generating unpleasant odors, attracting unwanted animals, and increasing respiratory and dermatological diseases. To reduce the pollution caused by these fats, the present work aims to standardize quality control processes for physicochemical and microbiological analyses of this raw material. The applied procedures have been based on recognized standards such as INEN Standard 1313:2012 and AOAC Standard 920.39. Guidelines have been extracted from other current standards such as ISO 11133:2014 and ARCSA. These methodologies have been adapted to bovine fat samples for the subsequent implementation of a manual of operational procedures. This will enable them to have proper quality control before entering the market, reduce environmental impact, and allow tannery industries to save on additional costs associated with waste disposal. In conclusion, proper management of bovine fat, supported by robust quality control, offers the possibility of efficiently utilizing this resource. To achieve this, methodological and economic parameters necessary for implementing a quality control laboratory are proposed.