Alexandra Mari*, Tryfon Kekes, Christos Boukouvalas and Magdalini Krokida
School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Zografou, 15780 Athens, Greece
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
This study presents a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of a berry production system using osmotic dehydration and edible coating to extend the shelf life and improve the nutritional value. The goal is to evaluate environmental impacts, identify hotspots, and propose improvements. Osmotic dehydration is the main contributor to environmental impact, particularly due to the energy and resources required by apple juice as the osmotic agent. It contributes up to 0.64 kg CO2 eq. per kg of blueberries, 1.36 kg CO2 eq. per kg of raspberries, and 0.66 kg CO2 eq. per kg of strawberries. The edible coating, however, has minimal environmental impact due to its low energy consumption and biodegradable materials. Packaging has a lower carbon footprint but contributes more to fossil fuel depletion and human toxicity. Raspberries show the highest human health impact (3.5 × 10−6 DALY/kg) and ecosystem impact (9.5 × 10−8 species.yr/kg), followed by strawberries (1.78 × 10−6 DALY/kg, 4.97 × 10−8 species.yr/kg) and blueberries (1.7 × 10−6 DALY/kg, 5.1 × 10−8 species.yr/kg), highlighting the greater environmental and health costs of raspberries. Despite the environmental burden of osmotic dehydration, it offers economic benefits by extending the shelf life, reducing losses, improving supply chain efficiency, and enhancing product quality, which leads to higher prices and profit margins. The study concludes that, while the environmental impacts of osmotic dehydration should be optimized, its economic and logistical benefits make it a promising preservation solution. Further research into eco-friendly practices is recommended to reduce ecological costs while maintaining commercial advantages.
Keywords:
Life Cycle Assessment; berries processing; sustainability; osmotic dehydration; edible coating
