Environmental Impact Assessment of New Sea Fennel-Based Food Products: Spice and Fermented Pickles

Erica Costantini, Kofi Armah Boakye-Yiadom, Alessio Ilari, Ester Foppa Pedretti and Daniele Duca ()
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Erica Costantini: Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
Kofi Armah Boakye-Yiadom: Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
Alessio Ilari: Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
Ester Foppa Pedretti: Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60131 Ancona, Italy
Daniele Duca: Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, Università Politecnica delle Marche, 60131 Ancona, Italy

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 5, 1-20

Abstract: Sea fennel, a halophyte with growing economic importance in the Mediterranean region, offers a rich source of bioactive compounds for diverse applications in various industries, including food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. Recognizing the crucial role of eco-design in promoting sustainable food production, this study aimed to assess the environmental impacts of two novel sea fennel products: dried spice and fermented pickles. The Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method was used to evaluate the environmental burdens of these new products, from raw material acquisition to packaging end-of-life, to fine-tune the innovation process. Primary data were collected from a company in the Marche region, Italy. The Environmental Footprint 3.1 method was applied to analyze the impacts. From the results obtained, the climate change score for the spice was 6.24 kg CO 2 eq./kg spice, while the fermented pickle was 0.89 kg CO 2 eq./kg product—net weight. The results also revealed that primary packaging emerged as the primary environmental hotspot for both products, accounting for more than 40% of the total impacts in most of the impact categories. Glass packaging significantly contributed to the environmental impact of the spice, while both glass jars and tin-plated steel lids contributed substantially to the impact of the pickled products. Despite the generally low impact of sea fennel cultivation, the processing and packaging stages significantly increased the overall environmental impacts of both products. This study provides valuable insights for manufacturers seeking to develop and commercialize highly sustainable sea fennel-based products. By identifying key environmental hotspots and implementing eco-design principles during the product development phase, manufacturers can significantly reduce the environmental impact of these novel food products.

Keywords: spice; pickle; life cycle assessment (LCA); eco-design; food production; climate change (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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