9 Sustainability andEnvironmental Issues in Food Processing

The United Nations has defined sustainable development as development that meets “the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (United Nations, 1987). Therefore, a sustainable food chain implies that the entire food chain must be both competitive and resilient if it is to ensure a secure, environmentally sustainable, and healthy supply of food. There are currently a number of challenges to be overcome if we are to develop a truly sustainable food chain. Agricultural production has been estimated to contribute between 17% and 32% of global greenhouse gas emissions; approximately 30–50% of produced food is wasted (Boye & Arcand, 2012), yet widespread malnutrition continues to occur, while food processing accounts for 25% of water consumption worldwide (Baldwin, 2009). An assessment of sustainability should consider environmental, economic, and societal impacts. When taken holistically, the food chain comprises a number of steps: food production, processing (including transport and distribution), retail, consumption, and end of life (Baldwin, 2009). While it is important to note the environmental impact of food production (i.e. land use change, climate change), the primary focus of this chapter will be food processing (i.e. waste generation, energy use). This chapter will first present motivating factors that are driving the sustainable food processing agenda. A discussion of the key environmental impacts associated with food processing will follow. To achieve better sustainability in food processing, a number of emerging and established technologies and tools will need to be employed; therefore the application of green technologies and sustainability assessment methods in food processing will finally be presented.