The compatibility of animal-sourced food and circularity in healthy European diets

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin van Selm ◽  
Anita Frehner ◽  
Imke de Boer ◽  
Ollie van Hal ◽  
Renske Hijbeek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Health ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Food System ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Careful Consideration ◽  
Dietary Guidelines ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Animal Products ◽  
Circular System

Abstract Several dietary guidelines are developed that propose limiting the intake of animal protein to stay within planetary boundaries and improve human health. Simultaneously, circular food systems are receiving significant attention in the European Union as an option to improve the current food system. In a circular system, animals are solely fed with low-opportunity-cost-biomass (LCB), resulting in substantially fewer animals and reduced supply of animal-sourced nutrients to humans. We assessed whether this circularity principle within the EU-28 is compatible with the recommended animal-source food consumption in healthy and environmentally friendly dietary guidelines such as the EAT-LANCET dietary guidelines. Our results show that the overall quantity of animal-sourced protein in EAT-LANCET dietary guidelines can be met, but that the precise levels of inclusion of different animal-sourced foods in such a diet cannot be achieved. The EAT-LANCET guidelines recommend larger quantities of chicken meat over beef and pork while a circular food system produces mainly milk, dairy-beef, and pork. All three circularity diets outperform the EAT-LANCET diet in nutritional value while reducing GHG emissions (up-to 31%) and arable land use (up-to 42%). Careful consideration of the permissible substitutability between animal-sourced foods is urgently needed to define the role of animal products in circular human diets. In this way the consumption of animal products - based on the circularity principle of only feeding animals with LCB - benefits both human health and the environment.

scholarly journals Circularity in animal production requires a change in the EAT-Lancet diet in Europe

Nature Food ◽  
2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin van Selm ◽  
Anita Frehner ◽  
Imke J. M. de Boer ◽  
Ollie van Hal ◽  
Renske Hijbeek ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Systems ◽  
Food System ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Careful Consideration ◽  
Dietary Guidelines ◽  
Poultry Meat ◽  
Allocation Model ◽  
Animal Products ◽  
Animal Source Foods ◽  
Animal Source

AbstractIt is not known whether dietary guidelines proposing a limited intake of animal protein are compatible with the adoption of circular food systems. Using a resource-allocation model, we compared the effects of circularity on the supply of animal-source nutrients in Europe with the nutritional requirements of the EAT-Lancet reference diet. We found the two to be compatible in terms of total animal-source proteins but not specific animal-source foods; in particular, the EAT-Lancet guidelines recommend larger quantities of poultry meat over beef and pork, while a circular food system produces mainly milk, dairy-beef and pork. Compared with the EAT-Lancet reference diet, greenhouse gas emissions were reduced by up to 31% and arable land use reduced by up to 42%. Careful consideration of the feasible substitutability between animal-source foods is needed to define potential roles of animal products in circular human diets.

scholarly journals Assessing Energy and Environmental Efficiency of the Spanish Agri-Food System Using the LCA/DEA Methodology

Energies ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 3395 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jara Laso ◽  
Daniel Hoehn ◽  
María Margallo ◽  
Isabel García-Herrero ◽  
Laura Batlle-Bayer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Food System ◽  
Current Trend ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Average Energy ◽  
Development Cooperation ◽  
Policy Framework ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Resource Exploitation

Feeding the world’s population sustainably is a major challenge of our society, and was stated as one of the key priorities for development cooperation by the European Union (EU) policy framework on food security. However, with the current trend of natural resource exploitation, food systems consume around 30% of final energy use, generating up to 30% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Given the expected increase of global population (nine billion people by 2050) and the amount of food losses and waste generated (one-third of global food production), improving the efficiency of food systems along the supply chain is essential to ensure food security. This study combines life-cycle assessment (LCA) and data envelopment analysis (DEA) to assess the efficiency of Spanish agri-food system and to propose improvement actions in order to reduce energy usage and GHG emissions. An average energy saving of approximately 70% is estimated for the Spanish agri-food system in order to be efficient. This study highlights the importance of the DEA method as a tool for energy optimization, identifying efficient and inefficient food systems. This approach could be adopted by administrations, policy-makers, and producers as a helpful instrument to support decision-making and improve the sustainability of agri-food systems.

The Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Various Dietary Practices and Intervention Possibilities to Reduce This Impact

2016 ◽  
pp. 1-26
Author(s):  
Celia Green ◽  
Andrew Joyce ◽  
Jonathan Hallett ◽  
Toni Hannelly ◽  
Gemma Carey
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Food System ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Systems Science ◽  
Dietary Practices ◽  
Animal Products ◽  
Dietary Choices ◽  
The Impact

This chapter examines the link between dietary choices and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and possible interventions to reduce this impact. The connections between climate change, food systems and public health are explored. It is shown that there is variance in the impact of different food types on GHG emissions, with animal products having the greatest impact. The role of food system activities in the production of GHG emissions is also explored. Dietary choices and GHG emissions are examined using case studies from a variety of countries. Results show that reduced animal food production has increased potential to reduce GHG emissions compared to technological mitigation or increased productivity measures. Finally, a systems science approach is used to explore possible interventions aimed at reducing consumption of animal products.

The Greenhouse Gas Emissions of Various Dietary Practices and Intervention Possibilities to Reduce This Impact

2016 ◽  
pp. 636-661
Author(s):  
Celia Green ◽  
Andrew Joyce ◽  
Jonathan Hallett ◽  
Toni Hannelly ◽  
Gemma Carey
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Food System ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Systems Science ◽  
Dietary Practices ◽  
Animal Products ◽  
Dietary Choices ◽  
The Impact

This chapter examines the link between dietary choices and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and possible interventions to reduce this impact. The connections between climate change, food systems and public health are explored. It is shown that there is variance in the impact of different food types on GHG emissions, with animal products having the greatest impact. The role of food system activities in the production of GHG emissions is also explored. Dietary choices and GHG emissions are examined using case studies from a variety of countries. Results show that reduced animal food production has increased potential to reduce GHG emissions compared to technological mitigation or increased productivity measures. Finally, a systems science approach is used to explore possible interventions aimed at reducing consumption of animal products.

scholarly journals The health implications of distrust in the food system: findings from the dimensions of trust in food systems scale (DOTIFS scale)

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma Tonkin ◽  
Trevor Webb ◽  
Julie Henderson ◽  
Paul R. Ward ◽  
John Coveney ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Food Safety ◽  
Content Validity ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Food System ◽  
Dietary Guidelines ◽  
Consumer Trust ◽  
Safety Practices ◽  
Health Related ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Consumer trust in food systems is essential for consumers, food industry, policy makers and regulators. Yet no comprehensive tool for measuring consumer trust in food systems exists. Similarly, the impact that trust in the food system has on health-related food behaviours is yet to be empirically examined. The aim of this research was to develop a comprehensive instrument to measure trust in the food system (the Dimensions of Trust in Food Systems Scale (DOTIFS scale) and use it to explore whether trust in the food system impacts consumers’ health-related behaviours. Methods The DOTIFS scale was developed using sociological theories of trust and pre-existing instruments measuring aspects of trust. It was pilot tested and content validity was assessed with 85 participants. A mixed-methods exploration of the health-related behaviours of 18 conveniently sampled Australian consumers with differing trust scores determined by the DOTIFS scale was then conducted. During March–July 2019 shopping- and home-observations were used to assess participants’ food safety practices and exposure to public health fortification programs, while the CSIRO Healthy Diet Score determined their adherence to national dietary guidelines. Results The DOTIFS scale was found to have high comprehension, ease of use and content validity. Statistical analysis showed scale scores significantly trended as predicted by participants’ stated level of trust. Differences were found in the way individuals with more or less trust in the food system comply with national dietary guidelines, are exposed to public health fortification programs, and adhere to recommended food safety practices. Conclusions The DOTIFS scale is a comprehensive, sociologically- and empirically- informed assessment of consumer trust in food systems that can be self-administered online to large populations and used to measure changes in consumer trust over time. The differences in health-related behaviours between individuals with varying levels of trust warrant further investigation.

scholarly journals Diets within Environmental Limits: The Climate Impact of Current and Recommended Australian Diets

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1122
Author(s):  
Bradley Ridoutt ◽  
Danielle Baird ◽  
Gilly A. Hendrie
Keyword(s):  
Food System ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Climate Impact ◽  
Dietary Guidelines ◽  
Additional Contribution ◽  
Australian Health ◽  
Dietary Strategy ◽  
Sustainability Concept ◽  
Operating Space ◽  
Environmental Limits

Planetary boundaries are an important sustainability concept, defining absolute limits for resource use and emissions that need to be respected to avoid major and potentially irreversible earth system change. To remain within the safe operating space for humanity, there is a need for urgent adoption of climate-neutral diets, which make no additional contribution to warming. In the first study of its kind, a new climate metric, the Global Warming Potential Star (GWP*), was used to assess greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with 9341 Australian adult diets obtained from the Australian Health Survey. Dietary climate footprints averaged 3.4 kg CO2-equivelent per person per day, with total energy intake explaining around one quarter of the variation. Energy-dense and nutrient-poor discretionary foods contributed around one third. With lower climate footprint food choices, a diet consistent with current Australian dietary guidelines had a 42% lower climate footprint. Currently, it is not possible to define a climate-neutral dietary strategy in Australia because there are very few climate-neutral foods in the Australian food system. To bring Australian diets into line with the climate stabilization goals of the Paris Agreement, the most important need is for innovation across the agricultural and food processing industries to expand the range of climate-neutral foods available.

scholarly journals How a Transformation towards Sustainable Community Catering Can Succeed

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Viviana Lopez ◽  
Jenny Teufel ◽  
Carl-Otto Gensch
Keyword(s):  
American Literature ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Food System ◽  
Eating Habits ◽  
Attractive Alternative ◽  
Sustainable Food Systems ◽  
Sustainable Food ◽  
Animal Products ◽  
Menu Planning ◽  
Governance Model

Community catering or to use another common term especially in the American literature institutional foodservice plays a central role in changing our food system towards sustainability. Community catering establishments can bring about changes in this context at various levels. Hence, in the context of menu planning, they have a direct influence on the level of meat consumption. Indirectly, however, they can also support changes in eating habits by offering the guest an equally attractive alternative, thus giving him or her a sense of how tasty a low-meat cuisine can be. On the basis of this experience, the consumer may possibly change in turn his or her own purchasing behavior and menu planning at home. With the increasing importance of catering for day-care centers and schools, community catering also has a considerable influence on the nutritional status as well as on the development of people’s individual diet and the later eating habits of young people. By understanding socio-technical systems as embedded in ecological systems this paper takes a systemic view on innovations in transformation domains as the objects of desire for governance towards sustainability. The framework developed in the context of the BMBF-funded research project “Governance model for socio-ecological transformation processes in practice: development and testing in three areas of application” known by its acronym TRAFO 3.0 was applied to examine innovative approaches and actors in community catering and their contributions to more sustainable food systems. A number of studies show that a very large environmental relief potential can be achieved by reducing the quantity of meat and other animal products offered. However, the concrete implementation of this goal is associated with a multitude of challenges, since meat-containing meals are an important part of German food culture. How the transformation towards meals with fewer animal products in German community catering can succeed is an important question in the context of the transformation to sustainable food systems. To answer this question, we analyzed the status quo of the socio-technical system of German community catering using a developed governance model. One of the central results was that community catering stakeholders who have successfully reduced their offer of animal products died fundamental changes in meal planning. Cooks had to “reinvent” meals completely to be successful.

scholarly journals Impacts of feeding less food-competing feedstuffs to livestock on global food system sustainability

2015 ◽  
Vol 12 (113) ◽  
pp. 20150891 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian Schader ◽  
Adrian Muller ◽  
Nadia El-Hage Scialabba ◽  
Judith Hecht ◽  
Anne Isensee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Food System ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Livestock Production ◽  
Human Consumption ◽  
Reference Scenario ◽  
Animal Products ◽  
Human Food ◽  
By Products

Increasing efficiency in livestock production and reducing the share of animal products in human consumption are two strategies to curb the adverse environmental impacts of the livestock sector. Here, we explore the room for sustainable livestock production by modelling the impacts and constraints of a third strategy in which livestock feed components that compete with direct human food crop production are reduced. Thus, in the outmost scenario, animals are fed only from grassland and by-products from food production. We show that this strategy could provide sufficient food (equal amounts of human-digestible energy and a similar protein/calorie ratio as in the reference scenario for 2050) and reduce environmental impacts compared with the reference scenario (in the most extreme case of zero human-edible concentrate feed: greenhouse gas emissions −18%; arable land occupation −26%, N-surplus −46%; P-surplus −40%; non-renewable energy use −36%, pesticide use intensity −22%, freshwater use −21%, soil erosion potential −12%). These results occur despite the fact that environmental efficiency of livestock production is reduced compared with the reference scenario, which is the consequence of the grassland-based feed for ruminants and the less optimal feeding rations based on by-products for non-ruminants. This apparent contradiction results from considerable reductions of animal products in human diets (protein intake per capita from livestock products reduced by 71%). We show that such a strategy focusing on feed components which do not compete with direct human food consumption offers a viable complement to strategies focusing on increased efficiency in production or reduced shares of animal products in consumption.

scholarly journals Can a Shift to Regional and Organic Diets Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions from the Food System? A Case Study from Qatar

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jose Luis Vicente Vicente ◽  
Annette Piorr
Keyword(s):  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Food System ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Animal Products ◽  
Livestock Species ◽  
Dairy Consumption ◽  
Self Sufficiency ◽  
Small Influence ◽  
Order Of Magnitude ◽  
Food Imports

Abstract BackgroundQatar is one of the countries with the highest carbon (C) footprints per capita in the world with an increasing population and food demand. Furthermore, the international blockade by some countries that is affecting Qatar – which has been traditionally a highly-dependent country on food imports – since 2017 has led the authorities to take the decision of increasing food self-sufficiency. In this study we have assessed the effect on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of shifting diets from conventional to organic products and from import-based diets to more regionalized diets for the first time in a Gulf country.ResultsWe found that considering the production system, the majority of the emissions come from the animal products, but the differences between conventional and organic diets are very small (738 and 722 Kg CO2-eq capita-1 yr-1, of total emissions, respectively). Conversely, total emissions from plant-based products consumption are one order of magnitude smaller, but the differences in the emissions between the two systems were higher, leading to a decrease in 88 Kg CO2-eq capita-1 yr-1 when changing from conventional to organic consumption. Regarding the change to 100% regionalized diets, we found that packaging has a small influence on the total amount of GHG emissions, whereas emissions from transportation would be reduced in 780Kg CO2 capita-1 yr-1 for the business as usual scenario of 2015.ConclusionsDue to the extreme adverse pedoclimatic conditions of the country, commercial organic regional livestock would not be possible without emitting very high GHG emissions and just only some traditional livestock species could be farmed in a climate-friendly way. On the other hand, organic and regional low-CO2 emission systems of plant-based products would be possible by implementing innovations in irrigation or other innovations whose GHG emissions must be further studied in the future. Therefore, we conclude that shifting towards more plant-based organic regional products consumption by using climate-friendly irrigation innovations in combination with a decrease in the total meat and dairy consumption and a shift to traditional livestock species farming is a suitable solution to both increasing self-sufficiency and reducing C footprint.

scholarly journals Vegan Studies as Ecofeminist Intervention

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 101-108
Author(s):  
Laura Wright
Keyword(s):  
Human Health ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Environmental Uncertainty ◽  
Animal Products ◽  
Immigrant Policies ◽  
Animal Question

On November 5, 2019, 11,000 scientists from 153 countries declared a climate emergency, and their report presents in stark terms the nature and certainty of the crisis,  providing six paths forward, one of which focuses on agriculture: “eating mostly plant-based foods while reducing the global consumption of animal products . . . can improve human health and significantly lower GHG emissions” (Ripple et al. 4). We have been given a plan to help us mediate this crisis, but what will it take for us to act on it, or, for that matter, to discuss the “animal question” in ways that are not predicated on vitriolic fear and willful disdain of plant-based consumption? In this essay, I offer a vegan studies approach as a theoretical and lived ecofeminist intervention in a political moment characterized by environmental uncertainty, overt racism, misogyny, and anti-immigrant policies that have become conflated with the presumed threat veganism poses to an increasingly authoritarian present.

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