Scientific Challenges in Performing Life-Cycle Assessment in the Food Supply Chain

Foods

Danijela Bursać Kovačević¹  Predrag Putnik¹  Anet Režek-Jambrak¹  Igor Tomasevic²  Ilija Djekic²  Alberto Tonda³  Milica Pojić⁴ 

[1] Department of Food Engineering, Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology, University of Zagreb, 10 000 Zagreb, Croatia;Faculty of Agriculture, University of Belgrade, Nemanjina 6, 11080 Zemun, Serbia;Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), 1 Avenue Lucien Brétignères, 78850 Thiverval-Grignon, France;Institute of Food Technology, University of Novi Sad, Bulevar cara Lazara 1, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia;

关键词: life-cycle assessment;    food supply chain;    system boundaries;    functional units;    sensitivity;   

DOI  :  10.3390/foods8080301

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

This paper gives an overview of scientific challenges that occur when performing life-cycle assessment (LCA) in the food supply chain. In order to evaluate these risks, the Failure Mode and Effect Analysis tool has been used. Challenges related to setting the goal and scope of LCA revealed four hot spots: system boundaries of LCA; used functional units; type and quality of data categories, and main assumptions and limitations of the study. Within the inventory analysis, challenging issues are associated with allocation of material and energy flows and waste streams released to the environment. Impact assessment brings uncertainties in choosing appropriate environmental impacts. Finally, in order to interpret results, a scientifically sound sensitivity analysis should be performed to check how stable calculations and results are. Identified challenges pave the way for improving LCA of food supply chains in order to enable comparison of results.

【 授权许可】

Unknown