Environmentally-friendly food processing

Consumers and industry alike are increasingly aware of the impact of modern industry - including the food processing industry - on the environment. Industry faces many, often conflicting, pressures with regards to environmental issues - including consumer pressures, legislation and commercial sustainability. Furthermore, identifying which practices pose genuine environmental concerns and establishing how best to change these to reduce their adverse effects is not always easy. However, systems are emerging for developing structured and informed approaches to identifying and targeting the environmentally most significant aspects of processes. One such approach is life cycle assessment (LCA).

This hardback reference book takes life cycle assessment as its core, and explores its use and implications in the context of food production. Part I looks in detail at the application of LCA to various food products. Based on this discussion, Part II then works through some broader environmental issues - such as energy efficiency, recycling of wastes and packaging, and training - and the opportunities and challenges these pose. As a comprehensive consideration of the life cycle assessment approach, the book provides a thought-provoking and informative guide to environmentally friendly food processing and will be of interest to anyone responsible for or interested in this aspect of food production.

Contents

• Introduction

Part I - Assessing the environmental impact of food processing operations

• Life cycle assessment (LCA): an introduction
• Life cycle assessment of vegetable products
• Life cycle assessment of fruit production
• Life cycle assessment of animal products
• Environmental impact assessment of seafood products

Part II - Good practice

• Environmental issues in the production of beverages: the global coffee chain
• Improving energy efficiency
• The environmental management of packaging
• Recycling of packaging materials
• Biobased food packaging
• Recycling food processing wastes
• Waste treatment
• Assessing the safety and quality of recycled packaging materials
• Environmental training for the food industry
• Comparing integrated crop management and organic production
• Life cycle assessment of wine production

Hardback book - 337 pages