Dry Pasta (500g bag)

Material Composition Assumptions

The carbon footprint assessment assumes a standard composition of durum wheat semolina comprising approximately 400 grams of the final product weight, with water content representing the remaining 100 grams after manufacturing and drying processes. The polypropylene packaging bag contributes roughly 8 grams of material weight to house the 500-gram pasta portion. Durum wheat semolina serves as the primary ingredient due to its superior protein content and gluten strength characteristics that enable proper pasta texture formation during extrusion and shaping operations.

Manufacturing Geography

Italy represents the primary manufacturing region for this assessment, reflecting the country’s position as the world’s largest pasta producer and exporter. The Italian electricity grid operates at 316 grams of carbon dioxide equivalent per kilowatt-hour, influencing the carbon intensity of energy-dependent manufacturing steps including grain milling, pasta extrusion, and thermal drying operations. Italian pasta facilities benefit from proximity to Mediterranean durum wheat cultivation areas and established supply chain networks that reduce transportation-related emissions for raw material procurement.

Regional Variation

Manufacturing Region	Grid Intensity	Estimated CCI Score	Adjustment vs Default
Italy	316 gCO2/kWh	85	Baseline
Turkey	436 gCO2/kWh	92	+8%
Canada	130 gCO2/kWh	78	-8%
United States	386 gCO2/kWh	89	+5%
France	57 gCO2/kWh	71	-16%

Provenance Override Guidance

1. Agricultural production data specifying durum wheat cultivation methods, fertilizer application rates, field yield per hectare, and transportation distance from farm to processing facility.

2. Manufacturing energy consumption records detailing electricity and natural gas usage during milling, pasta extrusion, drying operations, and facility heating requirements.

3. Packaging material specifications including polypropylene bag thickness, recycled content percentage, and supplier location relative to pasta manufacturing site.

4. Transportation logistics documentation covering distribution methods, shipping distances, vehicle fuel efficiency, and cold storage requirements throughout the supply chain.

5. Organic certification status and yield differential data when applicable, as organic production methods typically increase land use requirements while reducing synthetic fertilizer inputs.

Methodology Notes

• The CCI score represents cradle-to-grave emissions including agricultural production, manufacturing, packaging, distribution, and typical home cooking energy consumption for the complete 500-gram product serving.

• Scope 3 emissions dominate the carbon footprint due to upstream durum wheat cultivation impacts and downstream consumer cooking energy requirements, while direct manufacturing energy represents a smaller contribution.

• The functional unit encompasses one complete pasta package as purchased by consumers, enabling comparison across different package sizes and pasta varieties in retail environments.

• End-of-life disposal impacts for packaging materials are excluded from the current assessment methodology, focusing primarily on production and use-phase emissions.

• Regional wheat yield variations, irrigation requirements, and fertilizer application practices create significant uncertainty in agricultural emission estimates across different growing regions and climatic conditions.