Influence of production methods and transport distances on the greenhouse gas balance of organic apple juice

Abstract

Abstract In the present study, the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the production of organic apple juice from apples from Germany's ‘Altes Land’ region were compared with apples from the Southern Carpathians (Romania). The goal of the analysis was to clarify whether extensive agricultural production methods have a greater influence on the total emissions produced by the apple juice value-added chain in comparison to potentially longer transportation distances to the fruit processing company. Despite the extensive agricultural cultivation methods used in the Southern Carpathians, which could be assumed not to produce any GHG emissions, the apple juice from these apples had higher total emissions (782 g CO2e/l apple juice) than apples from the ‘Altes Land’ region (630 g CO2e/l apple juice). The reason for this is the distance over which the Romanian apples need to be transported to the fruit processing plant, which exceeded the GHG emissions saved during the apple cultivation.