Product Environmental Footprint Applied to the Food Sector in Sicily: A Case Study of Pasta Production

The aim of this research was to apply the Product Environmental Footprint (PEF) methodology to a real case study involving a Sicilian pasta factory. The analysis reconstructed the entire life cycle of the product, from raw material supply to the use and end-of-life phases, with the goal of applying the PEF to 1 kg of pasta and identifying the difficulties of its application to a specific company. The assessment followed the Product Environmental Footprint Category Rules (PEFCR) for dry pasta, developed during the European Commission's pilot phase, although not yet formally adopted. This work highlights the practical difficulties that businesses may face when implementing the PEF methodology, underlining the need for clearer and more operational guidelines to help translate theoretical concepts into effective tools for environmental assessment and communication. In this context, the research stresses the importance of complementing PEFCRs with hands-on implementation protocols, particularly to support the wider adoption of environmental certifications.