Quantitative evaluation of the reduction in the environmental burden during the life cycle of soy sauce

Abstract

This study focused on investigating the life cycle of soy sauce via the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology to quantify its environmental burden. MiLCA software was used to assess the environmental impact. The production of chemicals during soybean cultivation constituted an environmental burden hotspot during the life cycle of soy sauce, as determined via the characterized and single score results. The potential for environmental burden reduction in the three impact categories was demonstrated on the basis of the introduction of organic cultivation. The sensitivity analysis results revealed that the yield of organic soybeans affected the reduction in environmental burden during the life cycle of organic soy sauce. The results showed that substituting organic soybeans as a material for soy sauce could reduce the environmental burden during the life cycle of soy sauce. Future studies, such as assessments of environmental impacts using different impact categories, should be conducted in the future.