NIZO Develops Tool to Quantify Carbon and Water Footprints

The process simulation platform Premia is used to calculate the energy use of a food production line from the supply of raw materials unto the retailer based on publicly available databases and generic process/product data developed by NIZO, combined with product specific data.

15 Feb 2010 --- NIZO food research enables food companies to quantify the carbon and water foot prints of their current and future product portfolio.

There is a clear trend of stake holders of food companies asking for green products. Green is considered important and green sells! UK supermarkets like Tesco already show carbon foot prints of several product in their shopping areas. For food producers it becomes crucial to know and present the carbon and water foot prints of their products.

As a new service to its customers NIZO facilitates the quantification of carbon and water foot prints of a new product or production process. The process simulation platform Premia is used to calculate the energy use of a food production line from the supply of raw materials unto the retailer based on publicly available databases and generic process/product data developed by NIZO, combined with product specific data. The software platform accounts for product composition, process configuration, storage, but also for fouling, cleaning and product losses. For the energy use and emissions in the primary sector, available data bases from different source are used.

“Major food companies already see the benefits”, says Peter de Jong, division manager Processing & Safety. “For example, ingredients suppliers want to know the impact of their ingredients on CO2-equivalents per unit of a food application. Also the water foot print will decrease when, for example, the cleaning efficiency of a production process is upgraded.” It is clear that this service will help companies to set their goals for marketing of sustainable food production.