More combo green methods in 2010

07-Jan-2010 - Last updated on 07-Jan-2010 at 12:30 GMT

The coming year will be critical in adopting a more holistic approach to measuring and managing the environmental impact of food production, predicts a research organisation, as more information is required on products’ lifecycle impact.

Demand for more information on consumer goods’ sustainability record has been growing steadily, especially in the context of December’s climate change summit in Copenhagen. Carbon footprinting is starting to become more commonplace, and some EU member stages like Sweden and France are making it mandatory.

But calculating green credentials is especially complicated for food products, as many finished foods contain a broad array of ingredients from different sources and several processes are used to make them. Aspects such as packaging, transportation, energy for storage and preparation in the home, and what to do with waste also have an impact.

According to UK-based Campden BRI, 2010 will set the scene for more sophisticated combined measurement, which will give a more accurate view than is currently possible by looking just at carbon footprinting and energy use.

The upshot of a more holistic approach will be ease in pinpointing the stage of the production cycle – from farm to factory, producer to consumer – where investigation and investment in sustainable practices is needed.

EU context

Campden BRI’s predictions echo work already underway in the EU on methods of measuring sustainability for foods. The first priority of the Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) roundtable, founded last May, is to assess tools already being employed and see whether there are gaps in the lifecycle were new or better measurement systems still need to be developed.

European bakery ingredients trade association Fedima recently said that it is making sustainability its top priority, and is looking at various existing methodologies for measuring carbon footprinting in complex products.

“Over the past ten years, consumers, government bodies and the industry itself have come to better comprehend the environmental impact of food and drink production,” said Philip Richardson, head of food manufacturing technology at Campden BRI. “During 2010, we will see industry leaders begin to chart a clearer path to address the intricacies of this issue.

“Attitudes are shifting and as measurement improves, we will see the emergence of more mature and substantial approaches to counter or minimise negative environmental consequences.”

Richardson added that he expects open innovation to be very important, as the industry explores new technologies and processes.