Life Cycle Assessment and Carbon Footprint of Feed-Grade Soy Protein Concentrate for Environmentally Improved Animal Nutrition

This study evaluates the environmental performance of feed‑grade soy protein concentrate (SPC‑Feed) produced by Porta Hnos. S.A. in Córdoba, Argentina, through a cradle‑to‑gate plus end‑of‑life Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), with a specific focus on carbon footprint (CF). The assessment follows ISO 14040, 14044, and 14067 standards, using SimaPro^® with Ecoinvent 3.10 and Agri‑footprint 6.0 databases. Primary agricultural data were collected from soybean‑producing farms in Córdoba for the 2023/2024 season, while industrial process data correspond to the 2024 production year. System boundaries include soybean cultivation, soybean pressing, SPC extraction and drying, packaging, transportation to local and international markets, and packaging end‑of‑life. Results show CF values ranging from 0.608 to 0.851 kg CO₂‑eq per kg of SPC‑Feed, depending on market destination and packaging type. Agricultural production contributes ≈25% of total emissions, driven mainly by crop residues (54.7%), herbicide use, and fuel consumption. Industrial emissions are dominated by natural gas use in cogeneration and thermal processes, representing ≈43% of total CF. Downstream emissions are highly dependent on transport distances, especially for international markets. Comparative assessments indicate that SPC‑Feed produced in Argentina exhibits lower carbon intensity than similar products modeled for Brazil, USA, and Europe, primarily due to favorable agricultural conditions and the absence of land‑use‑change emissions. These findings support the environmental competitiveness of Argentine SPC‑Feed and highlight opportunities for further emission reductions through energy efficiency and logistics optimization.