What is a sustainable ingredient?
Sustainable ingredients are produced and transported in such a way as to limit their contribution to global warming which is threatening our planet. These ingredients must also preserve biodiversity and ecosystems, and thus respect natural resources and living things. In addition, ingredients are classified as being sustainable if they provide fair and sufficient remuneration, as well as decent working conditions.
Palm oil
With its bad reputation and ubiquity in the food industry, it seems that palm oil (extracted from the palm kernel) is unable to be categorized a “sustainable ingredient”. However, there is a certified sustainable palm oil, which is cultivated on plantations that respect the environment and the workers. If you look carefully, it can already be found in many food stuffs that line store shelves and kitchen cupboards and is present in many food products: spreads, brioche, cookies, breaded foods, etc.
Fishery resources
In terms of sustainability, all fish are not born equal. To qualify for “sustainable” status, they must come from certain zones, in order to avoid overfishing and the depletion of fishery resources. Their habitat must also be preserved by avoiding recourse to fishing techniques that are destructive for the seabed. In addition, sustainable fish of course belong to the list of species that are not endangered and which is constantly being updated. Eco-labels synthesize all of these constraints.
There are therefore many criteria to be met, and the list is far from complete! Still, it's worth the effort, as the environmental footprint of these ingredients has a direct influence on our food footprint, which must be as positive as possible from field to fork.
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