Environmental Impacts of University Restaurant Menus: A Case Study in Brazil
Maria Hatjiathanassiadou,
Sthephany Rayanne Gomes de Souza,
Josimara Pereira Nogueira,
Luciana de Medeiros Oliveira,
Virgílio José Strasburg,
Priscilla Moura Rolim and
Larissa Mont’Alverne Jucá Seabra
Additional contact information
Maria Hatjiathanassiadou: Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Av. Senador Salgado Filho, s/n, Lagoa Nova, Natal 59078-970, RN, Brazil
Sthephany Rayanne Gomes de Souza: Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Av. Senador Salgado Filho, s/n, Lagoa Nova, Natal 59078-970, RN, Brazil
Josimara Pereira Nogueira: Nutrition Post Graduate Program, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Av. Senador Salgado Filho, s/n, Lagoa Nova, Natal 59078-970, RN, Brazil
Luciana de Medeiros Oliveira: Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, University Restaurant, Av. Senador Salgado Filho, s/n, Lagoa Nova, Natal 59078-970, RN, Brazil
Virgílio José Strasburg: Department of Nutrition, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos, n° 2400, Santa Cecília, Porto Alegre 90040-060, RS, Brazil
Priscilla Moura Rolim: Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Av. Senador Salgado Filho, s/n, Lagoa Nova, Natal 59078-970, RN, Brazil
Larissa Mont’Alverne Jucá Seabra: Department of Nutrition, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Av. Senador Salgado Filho, s/n, Lagoa Nova, Natal 59078-970, RN, Brazil
Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 19, 1-15
Abstract:
The production of collective meals in institutional restaurants demands a great use of natural resources. The search for strategies to reduce negative environmental impacts in this sector is essential to offer meals that are not only healthy but also sustainable. In this study the evaluation of water footprint (WF) of menus offered in a public university restaurant located in the northeast of Brazil and the verification of the origin of foodstuff purchased to compose the menus in 2 months were carried out. The study is transversal, descriptive, and exploratory and the data were collected between March and April 2018. Water footprint of 112 traditional and vegetarian menus was calculated and the results showed that the WF of traditional menus was higher ( p < 0.0001) than the vegetarian menus. Weekly average per capita of WF was 2752.0 L for traditional menus and 1113.9 L for the vegetarian option, with animal protein intake in the traditional version being the main factor for this difference. It was identified that 49.47% of the foods used in the studied period originated from the same state where the restaurant is located, with fresh vegetables being the food group with the highest contribution. Thus, we conclude that although the restaurant purchases local food products, the environmental impact of the choice of foods that is included in the menus must be taken into account. The utilization of local foodstuff and the decrease of animal protein in the menus can be a good strategy to encourage sustainable actions in food services meal production.
Keywords: foodservices; environmental impacts; water footprint; sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:19:p:5157-:d:269063
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