Challenges facing food Industry on the road to carbon reduction

The global food supply chain accounts for 26% of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, including land use, freshwater withdrawal, livestock farming, and transportation. As environmental awareness grows, the carbon footprint of food products is gaining significant attention, which will potentially change the industry's path and the public's eating habits, making either the choice of production location, product optimization and transformation, or process improvement a risk or opportunity for the industry.

Carbon footprint of food

With the boom in global trade, dietary choices have diversified. In the past, people may have prioritized satiety and the nutritional value of food. However, as awareness of carbon reduction grows, more and more consumers are taking the carbon footprint of their food into account. Figures 1 and 2 below show the relationship between food types and carbon footprints, with production, processing, transportation, packaging, and retailing included in the calculation of emissions.