The sustainability of Novel foods in the transition phase to the circular economy; the trade "Algae fit for human consumption" in European Union

Abstract

The European Parliament Resolution of 2012 on the Resource Efficient Europe 2020 Programmed has stimulated the analysis proposed in this document. In particular, the paper takes its cue from the planned initiatives regarding the circular transition of the economy, i.e. the minimization of waste and environmental impacts generated by the use of materials and resources. The analysis takes as a reference the algae for human consumption that the EU includes among the first products recognized as "Novel food" within the food or ingredients of non-EU origin consumed in a non-significant way before 1997 (Regulation (EC) 258/1997) [1]. Assuming the sustainability of human consumption of algae, our paper aims to identify elements of physical and economic measurement of circularity in the supply phase of the initial production cycle. The prevalent extra-European origin of the algal virgin matter suggested to determine such as indicator the "balance of the resource" from the trade quotas extra EU of algae (Primary raw materials) and of the relative first food derivatives, i.e. agar agar and carrageenan (Secondary raw materials). This is in view of the fact that the European Commission considers the trade quotas as information of the measurability of the circularity of resources at the macro level (country system). The results obtained in our analysis, through the indices of sectoral specialization, show-interesting levels of sustainability of algae by member country. While by positive results of recent years of the material trade balance and the economic trade balance, emerge appropriate elements of the measurability of the circularity of the food sector under examination. These results confirm that business around the algae sector in the European Union shows virtuous processes regarding economic, social and environmental sustainability. These data are also preparatory to the launch of further analyses of different structural levels of the sector itself. In fact, the measurability of the circularity that the document proposes consists of an approach that combine with other tools for assessing the country system. Tools whit, as a whole, however must have a point of convergence with the evaluation of the economic and environmental sustainability of the micro reference systems (algae chains systems), with their own balance of circularity and from the perspective of governance processes of circularity of resources.