What goes around comes around: Applying the food circularity index to chickpea hummus production

Le résumé fourni par la source

The global food system faces mounting challenges related to sustainability, resource efficiency, and waste management. While circular economy principles have been widely adopted in manufacturing and energy sectors, their implementation in food systems remains fragmented and underdeveloped. This study introduces the Food Circularity Index (FCI), a novel framework to quantify nutrient circularity within the food supply chain. The FCI integrates metrics such as waste redirection, nutrient recovery, and environmental impact, enabling a holistic assessment of circularity. Using chickpea hummus as a case study, four scenarios were modelled to simulate varying degrees of circularity: (1) conventional hummus production; (2) conventional production with waste redirected to landfill; (3) reprocessing of near-expiry hummus using High Pressure Processing (HPP) to extend its shelf life and enable reintegration into the food system; and (4) an isolated assessment of the reprocessing chain introduced in Scenario 3. The study explored broader nutrient recovery strategies, from composting to bioconversion, mapping their environmental trade-offs and reintegration potential. These modelling efforts were supported by microbiological, rheological, and physicochemical tests, which confirmed the safety and quality of the reprocessed product over extended storage. While further research is needed to incorporate social and economic dimensions and to expand applicability across a wider range of food products, this study demonstrates the potential of integrated indicator frameworks like the FCI to guide circularity strategies in food systems. It represents a significant step toward operationalising circularity in food systems by developing and testing a context-specific, product-based assessment framework.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.