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Sustainability assessment of flour served at UBC's Food System

University of British Columbia. Sustainability Office

Community based action research was conducted to assess the sustainability of the current UBC Food Services (UBCFS) products. Data was collected mainly through online research, literature reviews, and contacting relevant UBCFSP partners, current UBCFS suppliers and potential new suppliers via emails, phone calls or personal interviews. Our focus was evaluating the sustainability of one of the main staple ingredients, flour. Sustainability of conventional and organic flour was assessed through ecological footprints, production and processing practices, packaging and waste disposal, and possible health effects; the potential of switching from conventional flour to organic and local flour was also examined. Even though, UBCFS expressed interest in purchasing more sustainable organic flour, the main obstacle preventing this change is cost. Organic flours costs up to three times more than conventionally produced flour and thus, increasing input prices would surely lead to increased food prices at UBC. Our group recommends future AGSC 450 students to extend our research by exploring more local and organic suppliers for other staple food items of interest to UBCFS. It will also be important to raise students’ awareness on the advantages of local and organic food products through education and advertisement. Survey can be conducted to statistically analyze students’ willingness to accept higher prices for higher quality products. As a way to advertise UBCFS efforts to supply more sustainable food products, we feel that it will be beneficial to put a recognizable logo on food products that are made from organic and local ingredients. Disclaimer: “UBC SEEDS provides students with the opportunity to share the findings of their studies, as well as their opinions, conclusions and recommendations with the UBC community. The reader should bear in mind that this is a student project/report and is not an official document of UBC. Furthermore readers should bear in mind that these reports may not reflect the current status of activities at UBC. We urge you to contact the research persons mentioned in a report or the SEEDS Coordinator about the current status of the subject matter of a project/report.”

Text

University of British Columbia. AGSC 450; UBC Social Ecological Economic Development Studies (SEEDS) Student Report

Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library

10.14288/1.0108637

Land and Food Systems, Faculty of

Unreviewed

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.5/ca/