Enhancing Environmental Impact Assessments: The Critical Need for System Expansion to Address the Multifunctionality of Food Products

Food is essential for our lives, but the way we measure its impact on the environment can be confusing. When comparing foods, it’s vital to focus on what they actually do for us—that is, the energy and nutrients they provide—rather than just their weight or volume.

The European Commission’s guidelines suggest using a "functional unit" (FU) to assess the performance of food products. This includes understanding aspects like “what” the food provides, “how much,” “how well,” and “how long.” Traditional methods often only look at mass, which doesn’t give the full picture. For example, using energy or protein content as a basis is a step up, but it still overlooks how different proteins can function in unique ways.

Take protein sources, for example. Some are better than others at providing essential amino acids. Recent research shows that many plant-based proteins lack lysine, an important amino acid. Although they might seem high in protein, cereals cannot be the sole source of protein for humans because of this deficiency. In contrast, legumes like peas contain more lysine but have lower levels of certain other essential amino acids. This dynamic shows that a diverse diet is crucial to meet nutritional needs.

Global demand for food is astounding. For instance, the world population, now over 8 billion, needs about 23 million terajoules of energy from food each year. To visualize that, it’s like consuming over 1.6 billion tons of wheat! This immense need directly shapes agricultural practices, focusing largely on a few key crops: wheat, maize, rice, and soybeans. These crops serve essential purposes—wheat, maize, and rice mainly provide energy, while soybeans contribute protein and oil.

In analyzing food’s environmental impact, particularly its climate effects, we often encounter challenges. The Global Warming Potential (GWP) is a crucial metric, but other issues like water scarcity, land usage, and eutrophication are equally important. Unfortunately, many studies do not cover these additional impacts in detail, leaving a gap in our understanding.

A method called nutritional life cycle assessment (nLCA) aims to address these gaps by considering both the environmental impact and nutritional properties together. However, it raises questions about how to treat items that provide different nutrients in varying amounts. For example, how do we compare types of food that may not all offer the same micronutrients? Experts suggest a system expansion approach can help solve this by treating these additional nutrients as by-products, thus giving a clearer picture of each food’s overall value.

The exciting takeaway is that nLCA methodologies have the potential to unify various nutritional properties into a more comprehensive assessment. This means that when determining the impact of a food item, the focus should be on its role in meeting our nutrition needs. As we learn more, it could lead to better food choices that satisfy both our nutritional standards and environmental considerations.

For the latest insights on food sustainability, consider exploring reports from reliable sources like the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) here. Engaging with this topic not only deepens our understanding but also provokes meaningful discussions on how we can improve our food systems for future generations.

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Climate-change impacts,Climate-change mitigation,Environmental sciences,Nutrition,Science,Humanities and Social Sciences,multidisciplinary