Reducing Charcoal Ash Waste by Implementing the COHRV Model: Food Truck Case Study in Ciudad Juarez

Within the food industry, research on mobile gastronomy has increased from the consumer perspective. Food trucks play an important role as economic units worldwide, serving as a culinary alternative to traditional restaurants. They have emerged as an innovative initiative and business model that offers a disruptive alternative to home cooked meals. One of the aspects most appreciated by consumers is the charcoal-grilled food offered by food trucks. Globally, charcoal is widely used as an energy source and cooking fuel, with an annual production of approximately 53.2 million tons. Its characteristics and low cost make charcoal a dominant energy resource, and it plays a fundamental role in cooking in both low- and high-income countries due to the distinctive flavor and texture it imparts to food. Research has focused on air pollution and health risks, supplemented with information on the types of charcoal, characteristics and properties, production techniques, and added value. Charcoal ash residue production has not been fully analyzed, providing an opportunity for research to obtain data and evaluate various criteria, such as kilograms of charcoal purchased and food trucks’ residual charcoal ash. To address this gap, the authors propose a horizontal collaboration perspective through the application of the COHRV model to (1) collect data and create a database from food-truck business owners in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua; (2) develop a circular economy model for charcoal ash as a sustainable strategy within the food industry; and (3) estimate charcoal consumption during the grilling process and the generation of charcoal ash residue in the food truck sector.