# Food and feed additives: Emissions

How feed additives could cut cow methane at scale

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/food_additives/emissions/

What this tab covers The greenhouse-gas footprint per tonne, split by lifecycle phase (feedstock, production, movement, use, end of life), the global total, other environmental impacts, levers and low-carbon routes, India's position, and where the investment opportunity lies.

Per t of additive, cradle-to-gate. Intensity: not published. Global total: not published.

#### Footprint by lifecycle phase

| Phase | Intensity | Share | Main sources of emissions | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Feedstock** | not published | – | fertiliser, land use and diesel for maize, soy, palm and sugar; deforestation risk for palm and soy |  | maize, soybeans and palm oil tiles |
| **Production / process** | not published | – | steam and power for wet milling, fermentation and drying; coal-fired energy in many Chinese plants (indicative) |  | indicative |
| **Movement** | not published | – | container shipping from China and Europe |  | indicative |
| **Use** | can be negative in effect for feed additives | – | amino acids allow lower-protein diets that cut manure nitrogen; phytase cuts mined phosphate use; methane inhibitors cut enteric methane | 3-NOP reduces enteric methane by roughly 30% in dairy cows (dsm-firmenich claims, indicative) | indicative |
| **End of life** | not applicable | – | digested or metabolised |  | not applicable |

#### Other environmental impacts

Deforestation linked to palm oil and soy; nitrogen and phosphorus run-off from livestock that feed additives can reduce; antimicrobial resistance from antibiotic feed use.

#### Levers to cut emissions

- Methane-reducing feed additives (3-NOP, seaweed-based) for dairy and beef (indicative)
- Precision amino acid balancing to cut dietary crude protein and nitrogen excretion (indicative)
- Phytase and other enzymes to cut mined phosphate and improve feed conversion (indicative)
- Renewable heat and power at fermentation and starch plants (indicative)
- Deforestation-free palm and soy supply chains for emulsifiers

#### India

India has the world's largest dairy herd and a fast-growing poultry sector, so methane inhibitors, amino acids and phytase could cut livestock emissions at scale; India-specific uptake data were not found (indicative).
 Emission figures are indicative global averages from the life-cycle studies named; actual footprints vary widely by site, energy mix and method.

#### Low-carbon routes

| Route | Intensity | Cost premium | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Enteric methane inhibitors (3-NOP/Bovaer)** | not applicable (per animal reduction) | paid by farmer, dairy buyer or carbon credit; not published here | approved in the EU, US and other markets; India status not verified | indicative |
| **Precision fermentation of food ingredients** | not published | not published | early commercial (indicative) | indicative |

 For a climate investor Feed additives are the main climate lever in this family: enteric methane inhibitors, protein-saving amino acids and phosphorus-saving enzymes reduce emissions per litre of milk or kg of meat. What has to be true: someone pays (carbon credits, dairy and meat buyers with scope 3 targets, or regulation), and Indian smallholder feeding systems can be reached through cooperatives and feed mills. Novonesis, dsm-firmenich and Indian feed-supplement makers are the relevant players.

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/food_additives/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/food_additives/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/food_additives/correlation/index.md)
- [Production route](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/food_additives/routes/index.md)
- [Production](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/food_additives/production/index.md)
- [Feedstocks](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/food_additives/feedstocks/index.md)
- [Cycles](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/food_additives/cycles/index.md)
- [Trading](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/food_additives/trading/index.md)
- [Movement](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/food_additives/movement/index.md)
- [Regulation](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/food_additives/regulation/index.md)
- [Characteristics](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/food_additives/characteristics/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/chemicals/food_additives/links/index.md)