Sustainability in the Food Industry

Sustainability is beginning to transform the food industry with environmental, economic and social factors being considered, evaluated and implemented throughout the supply chain like never before. Sustainability in the Food Industry defines sustainability with a comprehensive review of the industry’s current approach to balancing environmental, economic and social considerations throughout the supply chain. In addition, tools and information are provided to enhance future progress. To achieve this, the book combines technical research summaries, case studies and marketing information. Coverage includes sustainability as it relates to: agricultural practices, food processing, distribution, waste management, packaging, life cycle analysis, food safety and health, environmental labeling, consumer insight and market demand, product development, practices in food manufacturing companies, food retailing and food service. An international group of authors covers the information from a global perspective. Sustainability in the Food Industry offers an overview of sustainable sources of impact and improvement, how they relate to the key sectors of the food industry and how programs may be implemented for further improvement.

Contributors ix

Introduction xiii

Chapter 1. Agriculture 3
Charles Francis and Justin Van Wart

Chapter 2. Food Processing and Food Waste 23
Tran Thi My Dieu

Chapter 3. Distribution 61
Rich Pirog, Ben Champion, Tim Crosby, Sara Kaplan, and Rebecca Rasmussen

Chapter 4. Packaging 101
Aaron L. Brody

Chapter 5. Life Cycle Assessment Across the Food Supply Chain 115
Lisbeth Mogensen, John E. Hermansen, Niels Halberg, Randi Dalgaard, J.C. Vis, and B. Gail Smith

Chapter 6. Social Aspects of the Food Supply Chain 145
Kantha Shelke, Justin Van Wart, Charles Francis

Chapter 7. Ecolabeling and Consumer Interest in Sustainable Products 159
Amarjit Sahota, Barbara Haumann, Holly Givens, and Cheryl Baldwin

Chapter 8. Sustainability in Food and Beverage Manufacturing Companies 185
Cheri Chastain, J.C. Vis, B. Gail Smith, Jeff Chahley

Chapter 9. Sustainability in Food Retailing 213
Cheryl Baldwin

Chapter 10. Sustainability in Food Service 225
John Turenne

Chapter 11. Sustainability Principles and Sustainable Innovation for Food Products 239
Cheryl Baldwin and Nana T. Wilberforce

Index 251

"This work provides a practical, industry-led alternative to works like Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto (2008) and is a much-needed update to Patricia Allen's important Food for the Future: Conditions and Contradictions of Sustainability (Wiley, 1993)."(CHOICE, December 2009)

“Sustainability in the Food Industry reviews the industry's current approach to balancing environmental, economic and social considerations throughout the supply chain.” (Food Manufacture, April 2009)

“The book combines technical research summaries case studies and marketing information to provide insight about sustainability as it relates to agricultural practices food processing distribution waste management packaging life cycle analysis food safety and health environmental labeling consumer insight and market demand product development practices in food manufacturing companies food retailing and food service.” (Food Technology, February 2009)

Cheryl J. Baldwin, PhD, is Vice President of Science and Standards for Green Seal, a Washington DC-based non-profit organization dedicated to safeguarding the environment by transforming the marketplace by promoting the manufacture, purchase, and use of environmental standards and providing independent certification to those standards. Previously, Dr. Baldwin served as Program Leader and Senior Research Scientist at Kraft Foods, Glenview, IL. Sustainability is beginning to transform the food industry with environmental, economic and social factors being considered, evaluated and implemented throughout the supply chain like never before. Sustainability in the Food Industry defines sustainability with a comprehensive review of the industry’s current approach to balancing environmental, economic and social considerations throughout the supply chain. In addition, tools and information are provided to enhance future progress. To achieve this, the book combines technical research summaries, case studies and marketing information. Coverage includes sustainability as it relates to: agricultural practices, food processing, distribution, waste management, packaging, life cycle analysis, food safety and health, environmental labeling, consumer insight and market demand, product development, practices in food manufacturing companies, food retailing and food service. An international group of authors covers the information from a global perspective. Sustainability in the Food Industry offers an overview of sustainable sources of impact and improvement, how they relate to the key sectors of the food industry and how programs may be implemented for further improvement.