Reduction of carbon footprint of meals in Sisak elementary schools

master's thesis

• Author: Patricija Kreš
• Mentor: Jasenka Gajdoš Kljusurić (mentor)
• Granter: University of Zagreb; Faculty of Food Technology and Biotechnology; (Department of Process Engineering); (Laboratory for Measurement, Regulation and Automatisation); Zagreb
• Defense date and country: 2023-03-31, Croatia
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: BIOTECHNICAL SCIENCES; Nutrition

Abstract

Meal preparation is associated with a high carbon footprint, which results from many factors directly or indirectly related to food production, transportation and energy consumption during meal preparation. This study aimed to analyze and optimize the efficiency of school kitchens in Sisak. The project was implemented in 9 elementary schools from 2020 to 2022. The results of the study confirmed the previous knowledge that foods of animal origin increase the carbon footprint of meals. Optimized meals have a low carbon footprint (< 376 g CO₂ eq) and simultaneously provide all macronutrients and energy needs per national guidelines. The results of measuring the energy consumption of kitchen devices showed that the cooling devices in schools are inefficient, unmaintained and incorrectly installed. Each school received recommendations to improve the efficiency of kitchens in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and protect the climate.

Abstract (croatian)

Priprema obroka povezana je s visokim ugljičnim otiskom, koji proizlazi iz mnogih čimbenika izravno ili neizravno povezanih s proizvodnjom prehrambenih proizvoda, njihovim transportom i potrošnjom energije tijekom pripreme obroka. Cilj ovog rada bio je analizirati i optimizirati učinkovitost školskih kuhinja grada Siska. Projekt se proveo u 9 osnovnih škola od 2020. do 2022. godine. Rezultati studije potvrdili su dosadašnje spoznaje da namirnice životinjskog porijekla povećavaju ugljični otisak obroka. Optimizirani obroci imaju nizak ugljični otisak (< 376 g CO₂ eq) i ujedno osiguravaju sve makronutrijente i energiju u skladu s nacionalnim smjernicama. Rezultati mjerenja električne energije kuhinjskih uređaja u razdoblju od dva tjedna su pokazali da su rashladni uređaji u školama neučinkoviti, neodržavani i krivo postavljeni. Svaka škola dobila je preporuke za poboljšanje učinkovitosti rada u kuhinji kako bi se smanjila emisija stakleničkih plinova u cilju zaštite klime.

• Keywords: CO₂ footprint; school meals; reduction; climate friendly meals
• Keywords (english): CO₂ otisak; školski obroci; smanjenje; klimatski prihvatljivi obroci
• Language: english
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:159:227070
• Study programme: Title: Nutrition; Study programme type: university; Study level: graduate; Academic / professional title: magistar/magistra nutricionizma (magistar/magistra nutricionizma)
• Type of resource: Text
• File origin: Born digital
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2023-06-19 07:51:04