Carbon Footprint of a Typical Neapolitan Pizzeria

Abstract

Neapolitan pizza is very popular worldwide and is registered on the traditional specialties guaranteed (TSG) list. This study was aimed at identifying the cradle-to-grave carbon footprint (CF) of a medium-sized pizza restaurant serving in situ or takeaway true Neapolitan pizzas conforming to the Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 2050 standard method. An average CF of ~4.69 kg CO2e/diner was estimated, about 74% of which was due to the production of the ingredients used (with buffalo mozzarella cheese alone representing as much as 52% of CF). The contribution of beverages, packaging materials, transportation, and energy sources varied within 6.8 and 4.6% of CF. The percentage relative variation of CF with respect to its basic score was of about +26%, +4.4%, and +1.6% or +2.1%, provided that the emission factor of buffalo mozzarella, fresh cow mozzarella (fiordilatte), Grana Padano cheeses, and electricity varied by +50% with respect to each corresponding default value, respectively. The specific carbon footprint for Marinara pizza was equal to ~4 kg CO2e/kg, while for Margherita pizza, it was up to 5.1, or 10.8 kg CO2e/kg when topped with fresh cow or buffalo mozzarella cheese. To help pizza restaurant operators select the most rewarding mitigation strategy, we explored how CF was affected by more sustainable buffalo mozzarella cheese production, lighter and reusable containers for beer, mineral water, and main fresh vegetables, newer diesel-powered vans, less air-polluting electric ovens instead of traditional wood-fired ovens, as well as renewable electricity sources.

Novel high‐quality takeaway Neapolitan pizza from unused dough balls: hedonic and textural properties, and carbon footprinting assessment

“…Pizza sample F consisted of a freshly baked pizza that was rapidly frozen using the blast chiller ATT05 TH (Thermogel, Cardano al Campo, VA, Italy). Such equipment, available at the pizza restaurant ( i.e ., Pizzeria La Notizia , Naples, Italy) previously examined (Falciano et al ., 2022a), was equipped with a refrigeration system of 1424 W. Its electric energy consumption was measured using an energy meter PM600 (RCE Srl, Salerno, Italy). As soon as the pizza was frozen, it was stored in a freezer for 24 h. Before testing, the frozen pizza was reheated using an Atlantic ATBO.30N4TX (Groupe Atlantic Italia SpA, Conegliano, TV, Italy) static built‐in oven for energy class A domestic kitchen.…”

“…Since the mass of a Marinara pizza was equal to 350 ± 4 g, and its average waste ( i.e ., raised rim, burnt parts, etc .) was around 6% of its initial mass (Falciano et al ., 2022a), it was assumed to discard such a waste in the bin for organic waste, while the PE bag or light cardboard box in that for plastic or paper and cardboard waste, respectively. Such municipal solid wastes (MSWs) were separately collected and conveyed to the municipal waste collection center (WCC) by means of 21‐Mg MSW collection service trucks.…”

“…The production of a Marinara pizza at a typical Neapolitan pizzeria, just coming out of the wood-fired oven and before being served at the restaurant table or put in a cardboard box for home delivery or takeaway service, was characterised by a carbon footprint (CF) of about 1.7 kg CO 2e /kg, that is about 600 g CO 2e /pizza (Falciano et al, 2022d).…”

“…If the maximum number of dough balls wasted per year (18 DB/day × 312 days/year = 5616 DB/year) in the reference Neapolitan pizza restaurant was wholly converted into frozen pizzas, the pizzeria would increase its overall direct and indirect GHG emissions (i.e., 402 424 kg CO 2e /year, as estimated by Falciano et al, 2022a) by as many as 5930 kg CO 2e /year, this represented <1.5% of the current GHG emissions.…”

“…Other boxes can be made of recycled corrugated cardboard, which is internally coated with an aluminium layer and a 12‐μm polyethylene terephthalate (PET) layer. The latter is not only suitable for food contact applications, but also avoids oil leakage, prevents the pizza from tasting of cardboard, and keeps pizza warm for longer (Falciano et al ., 2022a).…”