Tools to improve the energy efficiency of the institutional food system

This research originates from a wide multi-disciplinary project aimed at developing a self-sufficient approach to improve the institutional food system in an area of Northern Italy. The aim of this research is to give some guidelines to implement ideal scenarios of food production, processing, consumption, and waste management at the local level. A methodology has been developed to analyze the main energy flows and matter related to this catering, and to outline possible optimal scenarios. This methodology also allows to analyze case studies and to suggest improvements in order to reduce their energy consumption exploring all the steps of the supply chain (considering the Life Cycle Assessment approach). The results for the current development level of the research allow the analysis and the development of improving scenarios of 20 supply chains among the main in the menus. The data in the database are mainly related to the production phase and transformation. Future investigation will cover more deeply the cooking phase and waste management.