INIBIOMA   20415
INSTITUTO DE INVESTIGACIONES EN BIODIVERSIDAD Y MEDIOAMBIENTE
Unidad Ejecutora - UE
artículos
Título:
Protein efficiency per unit energy and per unit greenhouse gas emissions: Potential contribution of diet choices to climate change mitigation
Autor/es:
A.D. GONZÁLEZ, B. FROSTELL, A. CARLSSON-KANYAMA
Revista:
FOOD POLICY
Editorial:
ELSEVIER SCI LTD
Referencias:
Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2011 vol. 36 p. 562 - 570
ISSN:
0306-9192
Resumen:
The production, transport and processing of food products have significant environmental impacts, some
of them related to climate change. This study examined the energy use and greenhouse gas emissions
associated with the production and transport to a port in Sweden (wholesale point) of 84 common food
items of animal and vegetable origin. Energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for food items
produced in different countries and using various means of production were compared. The results
confirmed that animal-based foods are associated with higher energy use and GHG emissions than
plant-based foods, with the exception of vegetables produced in heated greenhouses. Analyses of the
nutritional value of the foods to assess the amount of protein delivered to the wholesale point per unit
energy used or GHG emitted (protein delivery efficiency) showed that the efficiency was much higher
for plant-based foods than for animal-based. Remarkably, the efficiency of delivering plant-based protein
increased as the amount of protein in the food increased, while the efficiency of delivering animal-based
protein decreased. These results have implications for policies encouraging diets with lower environmental
impacts for a growing world population.