A new study may soon enable grocery store patrons to assess the environmental impact of food before placing it in their carts.
This type of reliable information has not been provided.
Manufacturers in the United Kingdom are only required to declare their primary ingredients, and only by %, not quantity.
Using public information, scientists have been able to predict the composition and impact of thousands of food products.
Many people want to know how their weekly food purchases impact the environment, however, rising prices will likely be a more pressing issue for the majority.
Prof. Peter Scarborough of Oxford University told that he hopes the research will result in an eco-labeling system for consumers, but he feels the research would have a greater impact if the food business uses it to reduce its environmental footprint.
According to him, the food sector has also been “begging” for the new tool, and some manufacturers and caterers are already using the algorithm to make their meals more sustainable.
“It fills a vast void. “Manufacturers, caterers, and retailers have goals of reaching net zero [emissions], but they lack the instruments necessary to achieve this goal.”
Now that they have this information, some of them are speaking with us about what they can do to assist consumers in making more sustainable food purchases. The information could assist producers in adjusting formulas.”
The analysis has significant limitations. Typically, ingredient listings do not include sourcing information such as place of origin or technique of agricultural production. Dr. Mike Clark, who directed the research at Oxford University, referred to the tool as “a big step toward delivering knowledge that could facilitate informed decision-making.”
The Oxford researchers calculated the chemical composition of 57,000 goods and beverages sold in British and Irish stores. The impact of growing methods, processing, and shipping was then evaluated against major environmental metrics, including greenhouse gas emissions and nature-related effects.
The group created an algorithm to determine an eco-score for the environmental impact of individual food and beverage items.
In January, the catering company Compass Group began cooperating with the researchers.
Ryan Holmes, the business’s Culinary Director for Business and Industry, told that the algorithm “made us consider how we approach sustainability in the workplace” as the company strived to achieve net zero emissions by 2030.
According to him, the company eliminated some meat, increased protein from alternative sources such as lentils, and used more whole grains and vegetables to improve the score for several of its employee canteen meal selections.
Meat and dairy products rank highly
The algorithm determines that the greater the score, the greater the environmental impact. As expected, foods featuring more meat and dairy score significantly higher than those containing a greater proportion of plant-based nutrients. Many meat alternatives, such as plant-based sausages and burgers, had between one-fifth and one-tenth the environmental effect of their animal-based counterparts.
However, there was also considerable diversity within particular groups.
For instance, the pig sausage with the biggest impact scored around a third higher than the one with the lowest. And the impact of biscuits increased with the amount of chocolate they contained, demonstrating, according to Prof. Scarborough, that modest recipe modifications can have significant effects.
“If you look at the government’s goal for achieving net zero [emissions by 2050] for food systems, they do not measure the real greenhouse gas emissions; instead, they advocate reducing meat consumption.
That’s fine, as meat has the most greenhouse gas emissions, but you’re missing a significant lot with multi-ingredient dishes, which previously had no reduction targets based on them.
COOK, a Kent-based manufacturer of frozen foods seeking to diversify away from the meat industry, has also collaborated with academics. It wishes to investigate whether eco-labeling its products might encourage customers to adopt a more sustainable diet.
Andy Stephens, COOK’s head of sustainable food, stated, “The tool could assist us in ensuring that, as we produce new recipes, there is a great choice for those who are actively seeking to decrease their environmental effect through what they eat.”
Researchers do not anticipate that eco-labeling will become mandatory in the foreseeable future. They want businesses to adopt it willingly, which they believe would spur competition over the sustainability of food and beverage items.
A Department of Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs official praised the initiative.
“We want to provide everyone with the information necessary to choose healthier, greener, or more sustainable food choices if they so choose. Voluntary industry programs are incredibly beneficial, and as part of our Food Strategy, we are also examining how we might support them in the future.”
In the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the research has been published.
