Cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment of production and consumption of pulses in the United States

Bandekar, Prathamesh; Putman, Ben; Matlock, Marty D.

doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.114062

Cited by 23 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 23 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…For pulses purchased dry and cooked at home, the energy use was 3–6 times higher than for production of the packaging. Bandekar et al ( 46 ) conducted a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) for different variety of legumes considering the stages of production and consumption, including cooking, and they discovered that the consumer stage dominated the environmental impacts of pulses for all varieties and scenarios. Electricity consumed during cooking was the principal driving factor for cradle-to-grave impact of pulses and for consumer stage.…”

Section: Benefits Of Legumesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Legumes and common beans in sustainable diets: nutritional quality, environmental benefits, spread and use in food preparations

Lisciani,

Marconi,

Le Donne

et al. 2024

Front. Nutr.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

In recent decades, scarcity of available resources, population growth and the widening in the consumption of processed foods and of animal origin have made the current food system unsustainable. High-income countries have shifted towards food consumption patterns which is causing an increasingly process of environmental degradation and depletion of natural resources, with the increased incidence of malnutrition due to excess (obesity and non-communicable disease) and due to chronic food deprivation. An urgent challenge is, therefore, to move towards more healthy and sustainable eating choices and reorientating food production and distribution to obtain a human and planetary health benefit. In this regard, legumes represent a less expensive source of nutrients for low-income countries, and a sustainable healthier option than animal-based proteins in developed countries. Although legumes are the basis of many traditional dishes worldwide, and in recent years they have also been used in the formulation of new food products, their consumption is still scarce. Common beans, which are among the most consumed pulses worldwide, have been the focus of many studies to boost their nutritional properties, to find strategies to facilitate cultivation under biotic/abiotic stress, to increase yield, reduce antinutrients contents and rise the micronutrient level. The versatility of beans could be the key for the increase of their consumption, as it allows to include them in a vast range of food preparations, to create new formulations and to reinvent traditional legume-based recipes with optimal nutritional healthy characteristics.

show abstract

Section: Benefits Of Legumesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Legumes and common beans in sustainable diets: nutritional quality, environmental benefits, spread and use in food preparations

Lisciani,

Marconi,

Le Donne

et al. 2024

Front. Nutr.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Some investigations have focused solely on the cradle-to-gate field phase, neglecting the consumer use phase [ 34 , 35 , 36 ]. In contrast, others have undertaken a comprehensive approach, analyzing the entire pulse supply chain from cradle to distribution center [ 37 ] or even extending to end of life, encompassing the use and post-consumer waste disposal phases [ 38 , 39 ]. Certain studies have specifically accounted for greenhouse gas emissions only [ 9 , 40 , 41 ], while others have considered a broader spectrum of impact categories [ 35 , 37 , 38 , 39 ].…”

Section: Pulses: Cultivation and Utilization Market Prospects And Eco...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In contrast, for dry pulses, the energy consumption linked to home cooking was 3–6 times higher than that for producing the packaging. Bandekar et al [ 38 ] conducted a cradle-to-grave assessment of the environmental impact associated with the production and consumption of pulses (e.g., field pea, lentil, chickpea, and dry bean) in the USA. The study emphasized the considerable influence of the consumption phase whatever the cooking method (i.e., open vessel and stovetop pressure cooker, each one heated by an electric range, and electric pressure cooker) used at the consumer stage.…”

Section: Pulses: Cultivation and Utilization Market Prospects And Eco...mentioning

confidence: 99%

A Comprehensive Study from Cradle-to-Grave on the Environmental Profile of Malted Legumes

Moresi,

Cimini

2024

Foods

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Three representative pulses from the Latium region of Italy (namely, Solco Dritto chickpeas, SDC, Gradoli Purgatory beans, GPB, and Onano lentils, OL) underwent malting to reduce their anti-nutrient content, such as phytic acid and flatulence-inducing oligosaccharides. This initiative targets the current low per capita consumption of pulses. Employing Life Cycle Analysis, their environmental impact was assessed, revealing an overall carbon footprint of 2.8 or 3.0 kg CO2e per kg of malted (M) and decorticated (D) SDCs or GPBs and OLs, respectively. The Overall Weighted Sustainability scores (OWSS) complying with the Product Environmental Footprint method ranged from 298 ± 30 to 410 ± 40 or 731 ± 113 µPt/kg for malted and decorticated SDCs, OLs, or GPBs, indicating an increase from 13% to 17% compared to untreated dry seeds. Land use impact (LU) was a dominant factor, contributing 31% or 42% to the OWSS for MDSDCs or MDOLs, respectively. In MDGPBs, LU constituted 18% of the OWSS, but it was overshadowed by the impact of water use arising from bean irrigation, accounting for approximately 52% of the OWSS. This underscores the agricultural phase’s pivotal role in evaluating environmental impact. The climate change impact category (CC) was the second-largest contributor, ranging from 28% (MDSDCs) to 22% (MDOLs), and ranking as the third contributor with 12% of the OWSS for MDGPBs. Mitigation should prioritize the primary impact from the agricultural phase, emphasizing land and water utilization. Selecting drought-tolerant bean varieties could significantly reduce OWSSs. To mitigate climate change impact, actions include optimizing electricity consumption during malting, transitioning to photovoltaic electricity, upgrading transport vehicles, and optimizing pulse cooking with energy-efficient appliances. These efforts, aligning with sustainability goals, may encourage the use of malted and decorticated pulses in gluten-free, low fat, α-oligosaccharide, and phytate-specific food products for celiac, diabetic, and hyperlipidemic patients. Overall, this comprehensive approach addresses environmental concerns, supports sustainable practices, and fosters innovation in pulse utilization for improved dietary choices.

show abstract

“…When cooking dry pulses in the home, environmental impact also varies with cooking method and the amount cooked. For instance, cooking larger volumes at a time as opposed to a few smaller batches is one way to reduce carbon footprint [61].…”

Section: Changes To Consumption and Bean Preparation Habitsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Translational Approach to Increase Pulse Intake and Promote Public Health through Developing an Extension Bean Toolkit

Didinger,

Bunning,

Thompson

2023

Nutrients

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Practical, affordable solutions need to be implemented to address global challenges confronting human and environmental health. Despite a myriad of benefits for people and the planet, beans and other pulses (e.g., chickpeas, cowpeas, dry peas, lentils) are under-consumed. To better understand consumer concerns and interests, a Food Habits Survey was conducted and the findings were incorporated into the Colorado State University Extension Bean Toolkit. Guided by the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills model, the toolkit included informational social media posts, cooking guidance, and an online class. A convenience sample of participants was recruited through Extension and university networks. After class participation, significant gains in knowledge of pulse nutrition, versatility, and cooking were observed, with an average increase of 1.5 points on a 5-point Likert scale (p < 0.001). Moreover, participants (n = 86) perceived a greater importance of motivators (e.g., nutrition, versatility, environmental benefits) and found barriers (e.g., flatulence, long cooking times, unfamiliarity) to be less discouraging. Most participants reported an intention to eat more pulses, and among those who completed the 1-month follow-up survey, pulse intake frequency increased (p = 0.004). Emphasizing motivating factors while simultaneously mitigating barriers to consumption can help reverse insufficient intake and promote healthy behavior change. Leveraging Extension or similar networks is one way to adopt a translational approach to better reach the public with this information.

show abstract

Cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment of production and consumption of pulses in the United States

Cited by 23 publications

References 23 publications

Legumes and common beans in sustainable diets: nutritional quality, environmental benefits, spread and use in food preparations

Legumes and common beans in sustainable diets: nutritional quality, environmental benefits, spread and use in food preparations

A Comprehensive Study from Cradle-to-Grave on the Environmental Profile of Malted Legumes

A Translational Approach to Increase Pulse Intake and Promote Public Health through Developing an Extension Bean Toolkit

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About