chapter 3 inventory of local food systems

Project CP/59 - “Instruments and institutions to develop local food systems”
• Storage energy and emission calculations of fruit and vegetables are based on
calculation tables from the Flanders Centre of Postharvest Technology (FCPT) for the
cool storage in auctions (Verlinden, 2002). Storage energy and emission calculations of
Gouda cheese are based on energy consumption figures of the cooperative association
producing this cheese.
• Processing energy and emission calculations are only calculated for Gouda
cheese and beef. For Gouda cheese these are based on energy consumption figures of
the cooperative association producing this cheese, for beef these are based on Carlsson-
Kanyama et al. (2000).
Specifically for cheese
• Data from the studied cooperative association producing organic cheese were
very accurate, based on the production of 2004, but most of these data are in general,
for all the different varieties of produced cheese and with one figure for the expenditure
of energy for processing, storing and the own shop on location.
• For the mainstream system 90% of the total energy and emission bill of
production and storage of the LFS is taken into account, assuming that 10% of the
energy in the LFS was used specifically for their own shop. All deli’s selling the cheese
of this cooperation are assumed to have the same energy use for their shops as the
cooperation itself.
• Separate energy uses and CO2 emissions for cooling during transport were not
available and are thus not included.
• For storage in the supermarket in the mainstream food system, the average of the
storage energy uses and carbon dioxide emissions for fruit and vegetables was taken as
the best match to reality, due to a lack of more specific data.
Specifically for beef
• No data were available from the abattoirs, not for the one used by the LVS,
neither for the one in the mainstream food system studied. Therefore we use figures of
Carlsson-Kanyama et al. (2000). Separate energy uses and CO2 emissions for cooling
during transport were also not available and are thus not included.
• Assumptions are made for the percentage of boned meat obtained from the living
weight of a cow (Belgian White-Blue double purpose cows). These are based on
personal communication with the cattle breeders in our case study and on literature
(UNEP, 2000) and set on 46%.
Specifically for apples
• For the local food systems three farmers selling their apples on different farmers’
markets were interviewed. Energy uses and emissions are calculated per farmer and then
the average is taken.
SPSD II - Part I - Sustainable production and consumption patterns - Agro-Food 53