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Substitution of beef with pea protein reduces the environmental footprint of meat balls whilst supporting health and climate stabilisation goals

2021-05-15Journal article Open access
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dc.contributor.authorSaget, Sophie
dc.contributor.authorCosta, Marcela
dc.contributor.authorSantos, Carla Sancho
dc.contributor.authorVasconcelos, Marta Wilton
dc.contributor.authorGibbon, James
dc.contributor.authorStyles, David
dc.contributor.authorWilliams, Michael
dc.date.accessioned2021-03-31T11:12:18Z
dc.date.available2021-03-31T11:12:18Z
dc.date.issued2021-05-15
dc.description.abstractRecent environmental footprint comparisons between meat and plant-based meat analogues do not consider nutritional density holistically, nor the high carbon opportunity costs (COC) of land requirements, which are critical in terms of climate stabilisation targets. We performed an attributional life cycle assessment (LCA) of a 100 g serving of cooked protein balls (PPBs) made from peas (Pisum sativum), and Swedish-style beef meatballs (MBs) made from Irish or Brazilian beef. Per serving, PPB production and consumption was associated with lower environmental burdens across all 16 categories assessed. Global warming, acidification, and land use burdens of PPBs were at least 85%, 81%, and 89% smaller, respectively, than MBs. The scale of environmental advantage was sensitive to the allocation method, with biophysical allocation across cattle co-products decreasing MB burdens by at least 35%, 38%, and 46% in the acidification, climate change, and land use categories, respectively. Furthermore, PPBs have a higher nutritional density than MBs, and hence their environmental footprint per unit of nutrition was considerably lower across all 16 impact categories. Per Nutrient Density Unit, global warming, acidification, and land use burdens of PPBs were at least 89%, 87%, and 93% smaller, respectively, than MBs. Results were tested with Monte Carlo simulations and a modified null hypothesis significance test, which supported the main findings. Finally, when COC of land was factored in, the climate advantage of PPBs extended greatly. Assuming MBs equivalent to just 5% of German beef consumption are replaced by PPBs, total carbon savings including COC could amount to 8 million tonnes CO2e annually, an amount equal to 1% of Germany's annual GHG emissions. Therefore, this study highlights the potential of PPBs to meet health and climate neutrality objectives.pt_PT
dc.description.versioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionpt_PT
dc.identifier.doi10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.126447pt_PT
dc.identifier.eid85102977419
dc.identifier.issn0959-6526
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10400.14/32418
dc.identifier.wos000641458900014
dc.language.isoengpt_PT
dc.peerreviewedyespt_PT
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/pt_PT
dc.subjectCarbon footprintpt_PT
dc.subjectCarbon opportunity costpt_PT
dc.subjectDietary behaviourpt_PT
dc.subjectHealth impactspt_PT
dc.subjectLife-cycle assessmentpt_PT
dc.subjectSustainable productspt_PT
dc.titleSubstitution of beef with pea protein reduces the environmental footprint of meat balls whilst supporting health and climate stabilisation goalspt_PT
dc.typejournal article
dspace.entity.typePublication
oaire.citation.titleJournal of Cleaner Productionpt_PT
oaire.citation.volume297pt_PT
person.familyNameSaget
person.familyNamePorto Costa
person.familyNameSancho dos Santos
person.familyNameVasconcelos
person.familyNameGibbons
person.familyNameStyles
person.givenNameSophie
person.givenNameMarcela
person.givenNameCarla
person.givenNameMarta
person.givenNameJames
person.givenNameDavid
person.identifier1204769
person.identifier211408
person.identifier74696
person.identifier.ciencia-idF715-AACD-9820
person.identifier.ciencia-id411E-1AE7-A6D3
person.identifier.orcid0000-0002-6941-4055
person.identifier.orcid0000-0003-1309-5339
person.identifier.orcid0000-0002-6708-5550
person.identifier.orcid0000-0002-5110-7006
person.identifier.orcid0000-0002-0083-9872
person.identifier.orcid0000-0003-4185-4478
person.identifier.ridI-8166-2013
person.identifier.scopus-author-id57209320920
person.identifier.scopus-author-id57209319463
person.identifier.scopus-author-id14627797100
person.identifier.scopus-author-id7201472907
person.identifier.scopus-author-id16310374500
rcaap.rightsopenAccesspt_PT
rcaap.typearticlept_PT
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