Sustainable and Cost-Effective: The Environmental and Economic Advantages of a Model Plant-Based Beverage

Abstract

The rising demand for healthy and sustainable food options has led to a growing interest in alternative, plant-based beverages. The present study aimed to evaluate the environmental and economic impacts of a model nutritional beverage base composed of faba bean protein and maltodextrin, using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Life Cycle Costing (LCC) methodologies. The study adopted a cradle-to-gate system boundary to analyse the entire production process, taking into consideration faba bean cultivation, protein isolate production, and beverage manufacturing. Faba beans are considered a promising sustainable ingredient due to their high protein content, in-field nitrogen-fixing ability and pollinator promotion potential. Across the production process, it was demonstrated that faba beans can provide a protein platform for the sustainable production of a nutritional beverage. Additionally, this study provided a holistic evaluation to guide the development of sustainable plant-based beverages, with findings underscoring the need for innovations such as alternative fractionation methods, energy-efficient processing technologies, and sustainable packaging to further enhance the environmental and economic profile of this beverage. The LCA results highlighted the energy-intensive nature of involved processes, such as decantation and spray-drying, and the utilization of conventional packaging materials as the primary contributor to climate impact, fossil depletion, and fine particulate matter formation, with the corresponding values being 0.229 kg CO2 eq., 0.078 kg oil eq., and 4.81x10 - 5 kg PM2.5 eq. per 330 mL of the model beverage, respectively. Owing to the crop's ability to naturally fix atmospheric nitrogen, fertiliser use during cultivation is minimal. The periodic requirement for phosphorous and possibly potassium led to the value rising up to 2.34x10 -5 kg P eq. per 330 mL of the model beverage. Economically, protein isolate and beverage production dominated costs, mainly due to the energy and labor demands of involved processes, with cultivation contributing less. The total cost associated with producing 330 mL of the two-component beverage is approximately € 0.46. Collectively, this study provides a holistic evaluation to guide the development of sustainable plantbased beverages, highlighting the environmental and economic advantages of faba-bean for the development of functional food products.