Strawberry supply chain: energy and environmental assessment from a field study and comparison of different packaging materials
Abstract
Berries are highly perishable fruits and require both low storage temperature and suitable packaging throughout the supply chain to preserve their organoleptic qualities. However, the energy consumption of refrigerated equipment and the use of packaging materials, plastic in particular, might generate important environmental impacts. Besides, there is a strong commitment to reduce the use of plastic in the food industry.
The aims of the current work are first to assess the energy consumption of refrigerated equipment and second to analyze the environmental performance of the strawberry supply chain. Various stages of the supply chain from transport from growers to retail storage were modeled using data from field measurement and interviews with professional stakeholders. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) was performed for the strawberry supply chain. Different packaging materials, plastic (PET, RPET) and alternatives (molded pulp, recycled paper, cardboard), were used. The processes that generated the most important environmental burden were the packaging production and the long-distance refrigerated transport. To limit the impact related to packaging production, it is necessary to consider not only the type of packaging material but also the processes and energy consumption used in their manufacturing.
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