Comparison of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Relative to Two Frying Processes for Homemade Potato Chips

摘要

This study presents a comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) for two homemade processes for obtaining potato chips: hot-air frying versus conventional stovetop deep frying. LCA evaluates the environmental impacts associated with a product or process by analyzing the product life cycle from the extraction of raw materials from nature to the disposal of the final product. A highly specialized LCA software was employed to obtain the results according to the standardization established by ISO 14040. The results were expressed in kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalent (kg C0_2-eq) using the IPCC 2013 GWP 100y method, due to concerns on climate change and to facilitate comparisons with existing scientific literature. The results presented herein demonstrated that homemade potato chips present lower Co_2-eq emissions when hot-air frying equipment is utilized, which indicates that this equipment is an appropriate option for Brazilian settings. The consumption of electricity was responsible for an important amount of these emissions. From an environmental point of view, the utilization of refined soybean oil for deep frying potato chips was penalized, with considerably higher emissions than hot-air frying.