A new study by the University of Tuscia examines the entire life cycle of organic dry pasta, from field to table, with particular attention to the role of packaging. The work analyses the "cradle-to-grave carbon footprint" of 1kg of organic durum wheat semolina pasta, packaged in 0.5kg polypropylene bags, produced in a pasta factory in Southern Italy during 2016-2017.
The most interesting result, particularly for the packaging world, is that climate impact is not concentrated solely in the fields: whilst the agricultural phase weighs heavily in the business-to-business carbon footprint (up to over half the total), when considering the entire journey to domestic consumption, the real hotspot becomes the use phase. Preparing 1kg of pasta conventionally requires approximately 10 litres of water and 2.3 kWh of energy for cooking: between gas/electricity use and food waste, this phase dominates the overall footprint, reaching approximately 1.8 kg CO₂e per kg of ready pasta.
Packaging, however, is far from neutral. The study compares different formats: 0.5kg PP bags, cardboard boxes and 3kg PE sacks for catering. For the same product, the shape/format combination affects up to approximately +15% compared to the best scenario. The most efficient packages are those for long pasta in 3kg PE sacks, thanks to higher filling density and relatively reduced use of material and logistics per kg of product. Conversely, 0.5kg cardboard boxes, though more "rewarded" by consumer perception, significantly increase the footprint per unit of packaged pasta.
The end-of-life role is also interesting: recovery of fibrous fractions and processing waste as animal feed generates CO₂ credits that offset part of the emissions, whilst good management of plastic, paper and pallet recycling further reduces the packaging phase impact.
The study also proposes mitigation scenarios: more eco-efficient cooking practices (less water, lower power, lids and optimised timing), use of durum wheat from less impactful cultivation systems, recourse to renewable sources for thermal and electrical energy, and shorter and "lighter" logistics (shift from road to rail or ship). Combining these levers, it is possible to reduce pasta's carbon footprint by up to over 50–60%.
For the sustainable packaging world, the message is clear: the choice of format and material matters, but performs best when incorporated into a supply chain strategy that starts in the field, passes through energy and reaches household hobs.
