Food businesses today rely heavily on emissions data, whether it’s for menu development, supplier evaluations, or Scope 3 reporting. But not all carbon data is created equal, and understanding why is essential for any restaurant, catering company, hotel, or food producer building a credible climate strategy.
In this guide, we walk through the science behind emission factors, the practical steps for evaluating data quality, and the questions you should ask before using any carbon footprint number in reporting or decision-making.
For a full breakdown of how food carbon footprints are calculated, see our post: How to Calculate the Carbon Footprint of Food.
An emission factor tells you how much greenhouse gas emissions (expressed as CO₂e) are associated with producing one unit of a food product, usually per kilogram or per liter.
Reliable emission factors are the foundation of any food carbon footprint:
• They determine the accuracy of your menu-level calculations
• They shape the credibility of your Scope 3 reporting
• They guide your reduction decisions
• They influence how you communicate climate impact to guests and clients
For food businesses, this is especially important because ingredient-level variation is significant. The same product can have very different footprints depending on agricultural practices, country of origin, processing, and supply chain conditions.
If you want to understand these differences in practice, explore our post “Why Ingredient-Level Data Is the Key to Accurate Scope 3 Reporting.”
Carbon footprints for food are calculated using data from Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), an ISO-standardized method for evaluating environmental impacts across a product’s life cycle.
These two standards define the overall methodology for assessing environmental impacts, covering multiple categories such as:
• Greenhouse gas emissions
• Water use
• Land use
• Eutrophication
• Resource depletion
LCA is the broader framework that establishes how to structure, collect, and model environmental data.
ISO 14067 specifies how to calculate the carbon footprint (GHG emissions) of products based on LCA principles.
This is the standard used when quantifying CO₂e emissions for food products and ingredients.
Our science team uses these standards as the foundation for Klimato’s methodology, which is continuously reviewed and updated through:
• Systematic literature reviews
• Partnerships with IVL
• Validation against the Coolfood Methodology (WRI)
To learn more, see the Science & Data page.
The quality of a carbon footprint depends on how the emission factor was created. Here’s how to evaluate whether a number is actually meaningful for your business.
Every LCA or carbon footprint calculation must specify which life-cycle stages it includes. Examples:
• Agricultural production
• Processing
• Packaging
• Transport
• Storage
• Cooking
• Waste
If boundaries are unclear, the resulting number becomes difficult to interpret or compare.
What you want to see: Clear, transparent boundaries that follow LCA conventions (farm to retail, farm to fork, etc.).
The functional unit defines what is being measured. Examples:
• 1 kg of raw ingredient
• 400 g of cooked meal
• 1 liter of liquid product
Without a defined functional unit, emission values cannot be compared or used consistently.
Credible emission factors should come from:
• Peer-reviewed LCA studies
• National inventories
• Open-source, science-based databases
• Transparent corporate assessments using ISO 14067
Always check:
• Was the study peer-reviewed?
• Does it specify system boundaries?
• Are assumptions documented?
• Is country-of-origin included?
Not all datasets include these details, which is why ingredient-level variation is so significant.
Food products vary widely due to factors such as:
• Geography
• Production systems
• Feed types
• Processing intensity
• Seasonality
• Transport modes
For many ingredients, the uncertainty range is large—but this is expected, not a flaw. What matters is that the methodology is consistent and transparent.
This is why Klimato’s database contains ingredient-level emission factors with multiple variations, rather than a single average. These variations come from literature reviewed and approved by IVL and aligned with the Coolfood Methodology.
Many food businesses unknowingly use data that:
• Doesn’t specify boundaries
• Uses an undefined functional unit
• Relies on outdated studies
• Ignores production method or geography
• Applies broad category averages to all purchases
• Is based solely on spend rather than quantities
Spend-based data is allowed under the GHG Protocol for Scope 3, but it is:
• Less accurate for food
• Not designed to support reduction strategies
• Insufficient for procurement or menu development
• Not reflective of ingredient-level differences
Quantity-based data aligned with LCA principles gives businesses a clearer, more actionable picture.
Klimato’s emission factors are built on:
• Systematic literature reviews
• Scientific methods aligned with ISO 14067
• Data for 4,000+ ingredients across 100+ countries
• Continuous updates to reflect new research
• Validation by the Swedish Environmental Research Institute (IVL)
• Consistency with the Coolfood Methodology (WRI)
This approach allows food businesses to:
• Compare ingredients accurately
• Aggregate data consistently
• Build reliable Scope 3 estimates
• Support climate communications with defensible numbers
For more on how this data is used, visit our reporting page.
You can integrate this into procurement, menu development, or reporting workflows.
Ask your supplier or data provider:
• Which ISO standards does the calculation follow?
• What boundaries are included?
• What is the functional unit?
• What is the country of origin?
• How recent is the data?
• Is the methodology publicly available?
• Does the calculation include land use or land-use change (if applicable)?
If most of these answers are missing, the emission factor might not be suitable for reporting or reduction planning.
Q: What exactly is an emission factor?
A: An emission factor is a value that expresses how much greenhouse gas emissions (in CO₂e) are associated with producing one unit of a product, usually 1 kg or 1 liter. For food, these values come from Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) research and describe emissions across defined stages of a product’s life.
Q: Why do emission factors vary so much for the same ingredient?
A: Food emissions depend on many variables, including agricultural practices, country of origin, feed composition, processing, seasonality, and transport. Because of this, one “average” value can’t represent the full range. Ingredient-level data helps capture these differences more accurately.
Q: What makes an emission factor scientifically reliable?
A: Reliable factors are based on LCA research aligned with ISO 14040/14044 and ISO 14067. They must clearly state system boundaries, the functional unit used, the data sources, and the assumptions behind the calculation. Transparency is essential for comparability and audibility.
Q: What is the difference between LCA and carbon footprinting?
A: LCA (ISO 14040/14044) is a comprehensive method that evaluates several environmental impact categories. A carbon footprint (ISO 14067) focuses specifically on greenhouse gas emissions (CO₂e) using LCA principles. Carbon footprinting is therefore a subset of LCA.
Q: How does ingredient-level data improve Scope 3 reporting?
A: Scope 3 food-related emissions are closely tied to the specific ingredients and quantities purchased. Ingredient-level emission factors allow you to link procurement data directly to the impacts of actual products rather than relying on broad averages. This strengthens the accuracy and consistency of Scope 3 estimates.
Q: How does Klimato ensure the quality of its emission factors?
A: Klimato’s database is built using systematic literature reviews, emission factors aligned with ISO 14067, and methodology reviewed by the Swedish Environmental Research Institute (IVL). Data is validated against the Coolfood Methodology (WRI) and updated regularly as new research becomes available.
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