Fundacion Tatiana Catedra etica ambiental UAH Universidad de Alcala
CO2Web Observatorio Online
FOOD
Alimentos
What do the calculations include?

We have carried out an exhaustive analysis of the references published in the scientific literature on GH of the life cycle of the different foods we consume. Since CF is closely related to the origin of the product (close or very distant cultivation), the type of manufacture (handling processes from cultivation to packaging), and transport and storage, the same food can give rise to varied values ​​of CF. Therefore, when we have found several calculations for the same group, we considered including the average values, which at least give an idea of ​​the differences between types of food, as well as the minimum and maximum, to indicate that there may be a variation -sometimes considerable- depending on the process they have followed. Obviously, a product grown locally and processed in a factory fed with renewable energy does not have the same CF compared to another that is imported and has been produced with high emission energies.

We divide the analysis in an initial table, by food groups, and in other more specific with each product.

Emissions by food group

(Value in kgCO2e / kg product)

FOOD GROUPS MEDIUM EMISSIONS MINIMUM EMISSIONS MAXIMUM EMISSIONS
VALUE PRODUCT VALUE PRODUCT
Oil and sauces 0,97 0,54 Sunflower oil
1,44 Olive oil
Beverage 1,67 0,10 Bottled water
7,04 Tea (kg)
Meat 17,19 3,09 Duck
73,86 Buffalo
Cereals 0,85 0,29 Rape
2,66 Rice
Sweets 2,28 0,96 Honey
4,80 Almond chocolate
Fresh fruits 0,91 0,22 Lemon and lime
7,47 Raspberry
Nuts 1,26 0,43 Hazelnut
1,74 Almonds
Vegetables and legumes 0,75 0,18 Beet
Celery
Onion
3,81 Cocoa
Dairy products 4,80 1,34 Cow milk
11,52 Butter
Seafood 10,48 1,58 Mussels
21,24 Lobster
Fish 6,23 1,10 Sardine
20,86 Sole fish

Vegetables and legumes

(Value in kgCO2e / kg product)
(Click on emission values to check the origin of this value and the link to the document where it was published)

FOOD GROUP MEDIUM EMISSION MIN EMISSION MAX EMISSION
FOOD GROUP MEDIUM EMISSION MIN EMISSION MAX EMISSION
VALUE CALCULATION LOCATION VALUE CALCULATION LOCATION
Lettuce 0,81 0,13 Sweden 4,73 UK
Asparagus 0,95 0,38 Swiss 2,54 Australia
Broccoli 0,70 0,37 Sweden 1,73 Australia
Zucchini 0,87 0,09 Sweden 1,94 Italy
Cucumber 0,72 0,08 Sweden 1,74 Swiss
Pickles 0,72 0,13 Swiss 2,12 Netherlands
Beans 0,60 0,22 Greece 1,55 UK
Chickpea 0,67 0,45 USA 0,80 UK
Lentils 1,03 1,00 Australia 1,06 UK
Green peas 0,36 0,20 Sweden 0,51 UK
Carrots 0,21 0,04 Sweden 0,50 Sweden
Artichoke 0,48 0,48 EU 0,48 EU
Beet 0,18 0,11 Sweden 0,24 Australia
Cabbages 0,30 0,12 Sweden 0,42 Swiss
Pepper 1,08 0,23 Australia 3,80 Japan
Celery 0,18 0,18 Australia 0,18 Australia
Eggplant 1,30 1,30 Swiss 1,30 Swiss
Garlic 0,57 0,57 UK 0,57 Netherland
Mushrooms 0,80 0,06 Australia 1,86 Netherland
Onion 0,18 0,06 Sweden 0,37 UK
Potatoes 0,20 0,08 Sweden 0,36 UK
Pumpkin 0,33 0,15 Germany 0,73 Germany
Spinach 0,54 0,18 Swiss 0,91 Japan
Tomatoes 1,25 0,17 Spain 6,12 UK
Processed tomato 0,87 0,87 Italy 0,87 Italy
Green beans 0,63 0,24 Spain 1,55 UK
Cocoa 3,81 3,81 France 3,81 France

Fresh fruits

(Values in kgCO2e/kg product)

FOOD GROUP MEDIUM EMISSION MIN EMISSION MAX EMISSION
FOOD GROUP MEDIUM EMISSION MIN EMISSION MAX EMISSION
VALUE CALCULATION LOCATION VALUE CALCULATION LOCATION
Apple 0,36 0,18 New Zeland 0,89 France
Apricot 0,43 0,43 EU 0,43 EU
Avocado 0,87 0,43 EU 1,30 Switzerland
Banana 0,79 0,42 Ecuador 1,37 Costa Rica
Redcurrant 0,84 0,84 UK 0,84 UK
Cherry 0,34 0,26 Sweden 0,45 USA
Grapes 0,41 0,15 Spain 0,88 Japan
Kiwi 0,47 0,28 New Zeland 0,83 Greece
Lemon and lime 0,22 0,18 Italy 0,26 Italy
Melon 0,95 0,30 Switzerland 1,43 Italy
Olives 0,56 0,22 Italy 0,85 Italy
Oranges 0,33 0,18 Italy 0,59 Spain
Peach y nectarine 0,54 0,38 Spain 0,81 Japan
Pears 0,27 0,19 China 0,34 China
Pineapple 0,72 0,40 Switzerland 1,78 UK
Raspberry 7,47 7,30 Spain 7,70 UK
Strawberry 0,89 0,20 Austria 5,20 Japan
Watermelon 0,38 0,38 Australia 0,38 Australia
Mandarin oranges 0,51 0,51 EU 0,51 EU

Nuts

(Values in kgCO2e/kg product)

FOOD GROUP MEDIUM EMISSION MIN EMISSION MAX EMISSION
FOOD GROUP MEDIUM EMISSION MIN EMISSION MAX EMISSION
VALUE CALCULATION LOCATION VALUE CALCULATION LOCATION
Blueberries 0,92 0,86 USA 0,97 USA
Almonds 1,74 0,51 USA 3,77 USA
Cashew nuts 1,72 1,37 Brazil 2,27 Netherland
Hazelnut 0,43 0,43 EU 0,43 EU
Peanuts 0,94 0,80 USA 1,33 Netherland
Pistachios 1,53 0,88 UK 2,17 USA
Quinoa 1,15 1,10 USA 1,20 USA
Walnuts 1,62 0,50 USA 2,94 USA

Cereals

(Values in kgCO2e/kg product)

FOOD GROUP MEDIUM EMISSION MIN EMISSION MAX EMISSION
FOOD GROUP MEDIUM EMISSION MIN EMISSION MAX EMISSION
VALUE CALCULATION LOCATION VALUE CALCULATION LOCATION
Barley 0,54 0,30 Sweden 0,98 Norway
Corn 0,48 0,41 Spain 0,66 USA
Millet 0,47 0,47 UK 0,47 UK
Oats 0,60 0,38 UK 0,87 Sweden
Rape 0,29 0,29 Australia 0,29 Australia
Rice 2,66 0,66 USA 5,69 Thailand
Rye 0,37 0,36 Sweden 0,38 UK
Sesame 0,88 0,88 UK 0,88 UK
Sorghum 0,88 0,88 UK 0,88 UK
Soy 0,58 0,38 Brazil 0,96 Brazil
Wheat 0,50 0,18 Australia 0,80 UK
Bread crumps (wheat) 1,25 1,25 Spain 1,25 Spain
Slice bread 1,11 1,11 UK 1,11 UK
Rye bread 0,80 0,80 Denmark 0,80 Denmark
Wheat flour 1,10 1,10 Denmark 1,10 Denmark
Rye flour 1,10 1,10 Denmark 1,10 Denmark

Dairy products

(Values in kgCO2e/kg product)

FOOD GROUP MEDIUM EMISSION MIN EMISSION MAX EMISSION
FOOD GROUP MEDIUM EMISSION MIN EMISSION MAX EMISSION
VALUE CALCULATION LOCATION VALUE CALCULATION LOCATION
Butter 11,52 3,70 UK 25,00 Austria
Cheese 8,86 5,33 Netherland 16,35 USA
Cream 5,32 2,10 Canada 7,92 Austria
Buffalo milk 3,75 2,87 Italy 5,20 Italy
Cow milk 1,34 0,54 Norway 3,26 Bangladesh
Goat milk 1,41 1,41 France 1,41 France
Yogurt 1,37 1,17 Austria 1,78 Portugal

Fish

(Values in kgCO2e/kg product)

FOOD GROUP MEDIUM EMISSION MIN EMISSION MAX EMISSION
FOOD GROUP MEDIUM EMISSION MIN EMISSION MAX EMISSION
VALUE CALCULATION LOCATION VALUE CALCULATION LOCATION
Alfonsino 3,49 3,49 Spain 3,49 Spain
Angler 12,29 10,43 Spain 14,15 Spain
Codfish 3,58 1,58 Iceland 5,38 Sweden
Eel 3,88 3,88 Spain 3,88 Spain
Hake 8,89 2,14 Spain 14,15 Spain
Roosterfish 6,41 1,20 Denmark 11,61 Spain
Sardine 1,10 0,78 Spain 1,41 Spain
Pout 2,77 1,20 Sweden 3,84 Norway
Swordfish 12,84 11,44 Spain 14,24 Spain
Common carp 1,80 1,73 Indonesia 1,93 Indonesia
Herring 1,17 0,98 Norway 1,39 Norway
Mackerel 2,00 0,94 Spain 4,50 Spain
Salmon 3,76 2,04 Canada 8,33 UK
Bass 3,55 1,91 Tunisia 5,76 France
Shark 11,50 11,44 Spain 11,56 Spain
Sole fish 20,86 20,86 Denmark 20,86 Denmark
Trout 3,73 1,37 Germany 5,95 China
Tuna 3,78 2,56 Spain 6,32 Spain
Turbot / Brill 14,51 9,63 France 19,40 Spain
Whiting fish 2,66 1,54 Spain 3,79 Spain

Seafood

(Values in kgCO2e/kg product)

FOOD GROUP MEDIUM EMISSION MIN EMISSION MAX EMISSION
FOOD GROUP MEDIUM EMISSION MIN EMISSION MAX EMISSION
VALUE CALCULATION LOCATION VALUE CALCULATION LOCATION
Lobster 21,24 7,62 Sweden 28,30 Spain
Mussels 1,58 0,28 Spain 2,54 Norway
Octopus 7,35 7,35 Spain 7,35 Spain
Prawns 15,56 5,25 Thailand 38,00 Senegal
Squid 6,65 6,39 Spain 6,91 Spain

Meat

(Values in kgCO2e/kg product)

FOOD GROUP MEDIUM EMISSION MIN EMISSION MAX EMISSION
FOOD GROUP MEDIUM EMISSION MIN EMISSION MAX EMISSION
VALUE CALCULATION LOCATION VALUE CALCULATION LOCATION
Beef / Veel 27,11 10,74 Netherland 64,00 Brazil
Buffalo 73,86 48,92 South America 100,72 Southeast Asia
Chicken 3,91 1,06 Latvia 9,98 Australia
Duck 3,09 2,07 Australia 4,10 UK
Kangaroo meat 4,10 4,10 Australia 4,10 Australia
Lamb 26,17 10,05 Australia 56,70 Spain
Pork 5,73 2,11 Latvia 10,25 France
Rabbit 4,70 3,82 France 5,58 Australia
Turkey 6,04 3,34 Canada 8,49 UK

Oil and sauces

(Values in kgCO2e/kg product)

FOOD GROUP MEDIUM EMISSION MIN EMISSION MAX EMISSION
FOOD GROUP MEDIUM EMISSION MIN EMISSION MAX EMISSION
VALUE CALCULATION LOCATION VALUE CALCULATION LOCATION
Olive oil 1,44 1,22 Spain 1,67 Spain
Colza oil 0,94 0,94 France 0,94 France
Sunflower oil 0,54 0,54 France 0,54 France

Beverages

(Values in kgCO2e/kg product)

FOOD GROUP MEDIUM EMISSION MIN EMISSION MAX EMISSION
FOOD GROUP MEDIUM EMISSION MIN EMISSION MAX EMISSION
VALUE CALCULATION LOCATION VALUE CALCULATION LOCATION
Almond drink 0,42 0,39 USA 0,44 USA
Coconut milk 0,42 0,39 USA 0,44 USA
Soy milk / soya milk 0,88 0,66 USA 1,40 UK
Red wine 1,49 1,13 Spain 1,92 Italy
White wine 1,84 1,84 Italy 1,84 Italy
Beer 1,41 1,29 Italy 1,53 Italy
Bottled water 0,10 0,10 Denmark 0,10 Denmark
Carbonated soft drink 0,33 0,15 UK 0,56 UK
High alcohol liquor 2,97 2,07 Sweden 3,88 UK
Coffee (kg) 1,45 1,45 France 1,45 France
Tea (kg) 7,04 7,04 Taiwan 7,04 Taiwan

Sweets and others

(Values in kgCO2e/kg product)

FOOD GROUP MEDIUM EMISSION MIN EMISSION MAX EMISSION
FOOD GROUP MEDIUM EMISSION MIN EMISSION MAX EMISSION
VALUE CALCULATION LOCATION VALUE CALCULATION LOCATION
Almond chocolate 4,80 4,80 Italy 4,80 Italy
Chocolate-hazelnut 3,43 3,43 Italy 3,43 Italy
Peanut butter 1,93 1,93 Italy 1,93 Italy
Hazelnut cream chocolate 2,81 2,81 Italy 2,81 Italy
Ice cream 1,00 1,00 Australia 1,00 Australia
Sugar 1,00 1,00 Denmark 1,00 Denmark
Honey 0,96 0,40 USA 2,50 Argentina
Eggs (dozen) 1,50 1,30 Australia 5,80 UK
Tobacco (gCO2e/cigarette) 14,00 14,00 Global 14,00 Global