This may sound preposterous, but every loaf of bread on the table is a reminder of the threat humanity is facing: global warming. Every step in the production of the wheat loaf has left an indelible mark of carbon footprint, a study said.
The challenge is perhaps the biggest now more than ever on how to produce healthy food at a cheaper cost to feed the world without endangering the environment.
According to a study published in the journal Nature Plants on Feb. 27, growing wheat, which is part of the loaf bread production process, is a greenhouse gas contributor.
Cultivating wheat, which is one of the processes in loaf production, uses ammonium nitrate fertilizer. The study found out the fertilizer contributes almost half of greenhouse gas emission — the highest in the supply chain.
Beyond Health Concerns
Most consumers, if not all, are not aware how the products they are using may impact the environment, Liam Goucher, a research fellow at the University of Sheffield, observed.
While many are aware of the effect of plastic packaging to the environment, it is the first time to bring into public knowledge the environmental impacts of food production such as in the case of loaf bread.
Every loaf, Goucher pointed out, is global warming in a pack as a result of fertilizer application to boost wheat harvest.
A large quantity of energy is required to produce fertilizer, and at the same time, it also releases nitrous oxide gas when dissolved in soil. Both instances are contributing a large amount of carbon dioxide emission to the atmosphere.
Sixty percent of agricultural crops are cultivated using synthetic fertilizers. While it accounted to improved agricultural production to meet the demand for food everywhere, its chemical composition of methane, carbon dioxide, ammonia, and nitrogen are contributors to greenhouse gases.
Challenge To Food Security
The study's findings highlight the challenge to food security initiatives.
This challenge involves resolving the conflicts in the food production system.
"[The] primary purpose is to make money not to provide sustainable global food security," Peter Horton, professor and chief research officer at the University of Sheffield's Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures, said.
Over 100 million tons of fertilizers are used annually worldwide, but its impact on global warming are not fully appreciated.
Its impact is "not costed within the system and so there are currently no real incentives to reduce our reliance on fertilizer," Horton added.
Fact Check
Wheat products in the United States include breads, pastas, and pizza.
After 30 years of increasing consumption on wheat products, it dropped since 2000. It dipped from 146.3 pounds per capita consumption in 2000 to 133.4 pounds by mid-2000s and further fell to 132.5 pounds in 2011.
The drop of consumption on wheat products is largely due to an increased health awareness that leads to lower carbohydrate intake in the country.
