LCA Food 2012 in Saint Malo, France! - Manifestations et colloques ...

PARALLEL SESSION 1C: ECODESIGN AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT 8 th Int. Conference on LCA in the
Agri-Food Sector, 1-4 Oct 2012
Figure 1. Overview of the life cycle of the chicken product and expertise areas of every partner.
2. Methods
Selected functional unit was a 0.6 kg tray of sliced chicken breast packaged in modified atmosphere. The
study ranged all the stages of the life cycle of the product from cradle to grave, including consumption phase
and packaging disposal. Mass allocation was performed by accounting the share in quantity of different
chicken meat products from broiler production. Table 1 shows the allocation factors used. As can be
observed, breast had a high allocation factor which pointed out that a relevant amount of the environmental
burden related to the broiler production is ascribed to the analysed product.
Data for inventory were mainly acquired from contacts in industry and companies participating in the
project, as well as peer-reviewed literature and goverment publications. Data from four farms (three for
broiler production and one for chicks) and two poultry slaughterhouses was collected through questionnaires
with regards to water and energy consumption, packaging, fodder use and related outputs. Maize, soybean,
wheat, sunflower meal and corrector were identified as the main components in the formulation of poultry
fodder. Data for inventory of crop cultivation were based on Nemecek (2007). Direct emissions of ammonia
(NH3), nitrous oxide (N2O) and methane (CH4) from chicken house and poultry manure application were
estimated according to EPER (2007) and EMEP-CORINAIR (2007). For soybean cultivation in Brazil the
carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions related to the land transformation from tropical rainforest were estimated
according to Jungbluth et al., (2007).
Table 1. Chicken co-products and derived mass allocation factors.
Co-Product Weight (g) Allocation factor
Breast 480 0.32
Drumsticks 240 0.16
Thighs 500 0.34
Wings 267 0.18
Total (carcass) 1487 1.00
Average Spanish grid electricity data was modelled adapting ecoinvent electricity production mix. Other
data for background systems such as transportation, fertiliser, plastic and fuel production were also derived
from ecoinvent database. Plastic tray and logistics were modelled according to realistic packaging details and
delivery routes from a Spanish chicken company. Refrigerant leakages and additional energy required for
refrigeration during transport were accounted following reviewed literature (Tassou et al.,, 2009). Electricity
for cooling at stores was estimated using refrigeration equipment details and product throughputs of ten
supermarkets within the distribution area. Finally consumer habits related to purchasing, storage conditions,
cooking, washing and waste disposal were modelled according to results from a specific market research
survey (Zufía and Pardo, 2011).
Additional energy, water and material requirements for the proposed improvements were estimated
mainly from prototypes and pilot scale trials carried out along the project and from contacts in industry and
technology suppliers. Tomato by-products (seeds and peels) were proposed to be included in poultry diet as
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