RIA4FOOD_LCA_Goal_and_Scope

RIA4FOOD | Multi-Actor Research and Innovation Approaches for Functional Food 101131479 Document name: LCA Goal & Scope Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. Grant agreement No 101131479. LCA Goal & Scope Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. Grant agreement No 101131479. 2 Project Details Acronym RIA4FOOD Title Multi-Actor Research and Innovation Approaches for Functional Food Coordinator REZOS BRANDS ANONYMI EMPORIKI ETERIA IDON DIATROFIS Grant Agreement # 101131479 Starting date 01-11-2023 Duration 48 months Call HORIZON-MSCA-2022-SE-01 Topic HORIZON-MSCA-2022-SE-01-01 Type of action HORIZON TMA MSCA Staff Exchanges Website https://ria4food.eu/ Consortium REZOS BRANDS ANONYMI EMPORIKI ETERIA IDON DIATROFIS (REZOS) PANEPISTIMIO PATRON (UPAT) KYPRIAKO IDRYMA EREVNON GIA TI MYIKI DISTROFIA (CING) UNIVERSITATEA DE STIINTE AGRICOLE SI MEDICINA VETERINARA CLUJ NAPOCA (USAMV) UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DEL PIEMONTE ORIENTALE AMEDEO AVOGADRO (UPO) NOVAMECHANICS LIMITED (NOVAM) BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH CENTER ALEXANDER FLEMING (FLEMING) INSPIRE SCIENCE SRL (INSPSCI) UDRUZENJE ZA PREDUZETNISTVO I INOVACIJE FOODSCALE HUB (FSH) Document Details Title LCA Goal & Scope Lead Beneficiary FSH Work Package WP5 – Sustainability assessment Dissemination level Sensitive – Limited under the conditions of the Grant Agreement Type R – Document, report Authors Sunčica Vasiljević Marina Arnaut Stefanović Peer review History of changes Version Publication date Changes 0.1 01.07.2025. 1st draft LCA Goal & Scope Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. Grant agreement No 101131479. 3 Table of Contents 1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 4 2 Goal of the Study ............................................................................................................. 4 2.1 Objectives ................................................................................................................. 4 2.2 Intended Audiences ................................................................................................... 5 3 Scope of the Study ........................................................................................................... 5 3.1 Product Function and Product System Description ...................................................... 6 3.2 System Boundaries .................................................................................................... 6 3.3 Functional Unit .......................................................................................................... 6 3.4 Data Sources and Data Quality ................................................................................... 7 3.5 Allocation and Impact Assessment Methods ............................................................... 7 3.6 Assumptions, limitations, and future updates .............................................................. 7 3.7 Critical review ............................................................................................................ 8 4 Closing Remarks ............................................................................................................. 9 LCA Goal & Scope Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. Grant agreement No 101131479. 4 1 Introduction The RIAFOOD project aims to accelerate the transition toward resilient, healthy, and sustainable food systems by supporting responsible innovation throughout the food value chain. In this context, Work Package 5 (WP5) focuses on sustainability assessment, including the application of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to evaluate the environmental and nutritional benefits of the innovations developed within the project. This document presents the draft version of the Goal and Scope definition of the LCA studies to be conducted under WP5. The LCA will follow ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 standards and will contribute to the deliverable D5.2 entitled "Report on environmental and nutritional benefits related to project innovations”. Given the dynamic and innovation-driven nature of the RIA4FOOD project, this document serves as a living draft and will be refined throughout the course of the project as additional information becomes available and as the product prototypes and system boundaries are finalized. 2 Goal of the Study The goal of this Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is to evaluate the environmental, health-related, and economic impacts of selected functional food innovations developed within the RIA4FOOD project. These innovations span across the stages of production, processing, and consumption, and will be analysed in terms of their contribution to sustainable food systems. The study aims to identify key environmental hotspots, assess potential improvements, and support informed decision-making for the optimization and scaling of bio-based, circular, and resource-efficient solutions across selected case studies. Furthermore, it promotes a systemic sustainability perspective by integrating environmental performance with health-related functionality and economic relevance. This aligns with the role of LCA in WP5, where primary objective is to assess the environmental impacts of final food products, while also considering health-related benefits and economic implications stemming from the materials and processes used. LCA will provide quantifiable indicators that can support evidence-based decision-making for farmers and food producers, enabling them to identify environmental and cost hotspots across the agricultural and processing stages and to optimize the use of water, energy, and chemical inputs accordingly. The results of this LCA will be used internally to inform development and externally in communication, dissemination, and potential policy-related discussions, while respecting confidentiality of proprietary data and aligning with the iterative nature of the project’s innovation cycles. 2.1 Objectives This study evaluates the environmental, health-related and economic impacts related to selected RIA4FOOD innovations by applying Life Cycle Assessment in accordance with ISO 14040 and ISO 14044 standards. The assessment includes the identification of key environmental impacts across the value chains of innovative food products and processes developed within the project. LCA Goal & Scope Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. Grant agreement No 101131479. 5 Specifically, the LCA will: • Quantify the environmental impacts associated with each final food product developed within RIA4FOOD, across the relevant stages of production, processing, and consumption; • Identify environmental hotspots and provide evidence-based insights into potential mitigation strategies, including changes to materials, energy use, agricultural practices, and processing methods; • Compare innovative approaches (e.g., precision agriculture techniques or novel biobased ingredients) with conventional or baseline alternatives, where appropriate; • Evaluate and contrast the environmental performance of the two functional food prototypes developed in the project, and compare them to relevant reference products if data availability permits; • Support data-driven decision-making for farmers and food producers by providing quantitative indicators of environmental and cost-related impacts, including the use of water, energy, and chemicals throughout the value chain; • Contribute to a broader sustainability assessment by integrating LCA findings with complementary data on nutritional properties and economic performance, where feasible. 2.2 Intended Audiences This project report is intended to support the RIA4FOOD communication of the environmental and health-related, and economic benefits of project innovations to both internal and external audiences. These audiences may include: • RIA4FOOD project partners; • The European Commission and relevant EU agencies; • Researchers and practitioners in the fields of LCA, nutrition, agriculture, and sustainable food systems; • Policy makers and public institutions involved in sustainable food strategies; • Food producers, farmers, and other end-users and decision-makers in the food value chain; • The wider innovation and sustainability community. The ISO standard on LCA includes a set of specific requirements for studies intended to communicate product-to-product comparisons to the public. Where explicit comparative statements are made regarding the environmental impacts of different products, this study aims to meet those requirements, ensuring methodological rigor and transparency in line with ISO 14040/14044. A critical review will be considered when such comparative assertions are made. 3 Scope of the Study This section outlines the methodological framework applied in the LCA, including the definition of the product system, system boundaries, functional unit, data sources, assumptions, allocation procedures, and provisions for quality assurance and review. LCA Goal & Scope Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. Grant agreement No 101131479. 6 3.1 Product Function and Product System Description The LCA will cover selected innovations developed under the RIA4FOOD project, which include improvements in food production, processing, and the formulation of new functional food products. The systems under analysis will be defined based on the specific characteristics of each case study. The LCA will specifically assess two functional food prototypes enriched with bioactive compounds, developed within the project. These prototypes are still under development; therefore, their composition, health relevance, and intended use will be updated as additional data becomes available. Comparisons may also be made between: • RIA4FOOD’s innovative practices and conventional production/processing methods (e.g., precision vs. traditional agriculture); • The two functional food prototypes developed under the project; • Market-available reference products, where relevant and feasible. The definition of the product systems and their technological boundaries will be refined in collaboration with relevant partners and based on inputs from WP1 – WP4. 3.2 System Boundaries The system boundaries of the study will follow a cradle-to-gate or cradle-to-grave approach, depending on the nature of each case study and the availability of reliable data. At minimum, the following life cycle stages will be included: • Raw material production (including agricultural and bio-based inputs); • Processing and manufacturing; • Packaging and distribution. Where feasible, additional stages will be assessed: • Upstream processes (e.g., fertilizer or energy production); • Downstream processes (e.g., consumer use, preparation, and end-of-life disposal). Laboratory-scale experiments that relate to the development of bioactive compounds and their health benefits will be included at this stage of the project. Data are currently being collected through LCI templates distributed to partners. These experiments are considered part of the innovation process and will be reviewed for relevance and completeness. Some stages (e.g., end-of-life) may be excluded or assessed through sensitivity analysis if reliable data cannot be obtained. All exclusions will be clearly documented with justification. 3.3 Functional Unit The functional unit will be defined for each product system individually, based on its intended functionality and use. In cases where systems are compared (e.g., the two prototypes or an innovation versus a conventional product), a common functional unit will be applied to ensure methodological consistency and comparability of results. LCA Goal & Scope Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. Grant agreement No 101131479. 7 As the functional food prototypes are still under development, the functional unit will be determined once the product composition, bioactive compound content, and consumption scenarios are sufficiently established. To enable ongoing interpretation of collected data and iterative refinement of system modelling, provisional functional units may be applied in the early stages of the assessment. These serve as practical reference points to support boundary setting and scenario development prior to final product definition. Examples include: • Mass-based units (e.g., per 100 g of product), or • Nutritional delivery (e.g., per effective daily intake of bioactive compound). The final definition of the functional unit will reflect the product’s defined health-related claim and consumer context and will be aligned with the scope of the sustainability assessment. 3.4 Data Sources and Data Quality Primary data will be collected from RIA4FOOD project partners, including technical inputs from pilot activities, experimental results, and stakeholder feedback. These will include information on material inputs, energy use, process efficiencies, and outputs. Secondary data will be sourced from established LCA databases and literature where applicable. The quality of data will be evaluated based on: technological representativeness, geographical relevance, temporal relevance, consistency and completeness. Uncertainty and data gaps will be documented. Conservative assumptions will be made where necessary and transparently reported. 3.5 Allocation and Impact Assessment Methods Allocation procedures will be defined for each case study based on the characteristics of the system under analysis. Where co-products or by-products are present, allocation may be based on physical relationships (e.g., mass or energy content) and economic value. The choice of allocation method will be clearly justified in each case. Environmental impacts will be assessed using midpoint impact categories, which may include: climate change (global warming potential), eutrophication (terrestrial and aquatic), water use, resource depletion. The final selection of impact categories will depend on data availability, product characteristics, and relevance to project objectives. 3.6 Assumptions, limitations, and future updates This study is based on the current state of knowledge, preliminary product development, and ongoing data collection within the RIA4FOOD project. The assumptions made in this phase reflect the early-stage nature of the innovations and the inherent uncertainties associated with them. The initial set of Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) templates is being distributed alongside this document, focusing on core process information – such as material and energy inputs, LCA Goal & Scope Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. Grant agreement No 101131479. 8 equipment use, and emissions – without yet addressing economic or health-related aspects. As such, this initial LCA will serve as a foundation for iterative development, and several aspects of the assessment are expected to be progressively refined. Future LCA iterations will depend on both the completeness of incoming data and the evolution of product development within RIA4FOOD. In particular, the following parameters are subject to further clarification, data collection, or methodological refinement: • Final composition and formulation of functional food prototypes; • Nutritional characterization and substantiation of health claims; • Details of consumer use and preparation scenarios; • Packaging specifications and end-of-life treatment; • System boundaries and foreground process configurations; • Functional unit alignment for comparison purposes. Given the innovation-driven and iterative nature of RIA4FOOD, the LCA will evolve over time. Provisional results generated during early iterations will support internal reflection and design decisions, while subsequent versions may integrate more robust datasets and modelling structures. Future updates of the LCA will reflect: • Initial and updated LCI data collected from partners (focusing first on material and energy inputs, equipment use, and emissions), followed by prototype-specific information as product development progresses; • Harmonization with complementary assessments of nutritional properties and economic implications, where applicable; • Methodological improvements and sensitivity analysis based on stakeholder input and scenario testing. This approach ensures that the LCA remains a living and responsive tool, capable of capturing the dynamic process of innovation and supporting informed decision-making across the project lifecycle. 3.7 Critical review In line with ISO 14044, external review will be considered if the results are used for comparative assertions intended for public disclosure. The review process and level will be determined based on: • Intended audience and communication strategy; • Level of data uncertainty and methodological complexity; • Stakeholder interest and expected impact of findings. The scope and format of the review will be determined in collaboration with the project coordinator and based on the final application of the LCA results. LCA Goal & Scope Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. Grant agreement No 101131479. 9 4 Closing Remarks This document represents the first consolidated draft of the Goal and Scope definition for the Life Cycle Assessment activities under RIA4FOOD Work Package 5. It provides a transparent and adaptable methodological framework that will evolve alongside the project’s innovations. The next step involves collecting core process data through the distributed LCI templates. These inputs will enable the modelling of product systems and the identification of potential data gaps and assumptions. Further refinement of this document and the underlying assessments will be conducted as more detailed information becomes available. This document will be revised and updated throughout the project as more detailed information becomes available.