The initial product selected as the object of study (selected
as the functional unit within the life cycle assessment) is a 2-
kg tray of pasteurized tuna with tomato. This is a common
product currently commercialized at a national level and is
a typical dish in Spanish cuisine, where elaborated fish dishes
are widespread and tuna is one of the most popular fish in
Spain. The cooked tuna with tomato dish has been selected
to carry out this pilot eco-design because it presents one of
the highest complexity levels in the food sector, due to the
fact that it has a high number of raw materials of different international
origins and many life cycle stages. It is also
a multi-process product.
hains and distributors at a national level.
The formulation of the product is based on fish (tuna), which
is the principal ingredient, some vegetables (tomato, onion and
pepper among others) and others such as oil and some spices.
The product is packaged in a 70-g, high-density polyethylene
(HDPE) rectangular tray, with a film cover made of oriented
polyamide (OPA) and polyethylene (PE) with a weight
of 10.2 g and a thickness of 30 mm. Moreover, this package
is microwavable.
In general terms, the manufacturing process of the cooked
dish means defrosting and cleaning the tuna, preparing the
sauce, mixing both ingredients, decreasing of temperature,
vacuum-packaging, a pasteurizing phase, refrigeration, labelling,
storage at 4 C and expedition at the same temperature.
The product needs to remain cold for its preservation and
has a 90-day shelf life. It is not ready to be presented to the
final consumer, so it needs to be transferred to other ceramic
containers in order to obtain an appropriate nice presentation
for public sale.