# Key crops for processed foods have spatially variable biodiversity impacts not captured in other environmental impact indicators

## TL;DR

This study shows that key crops used in processed foods have uneven biodiversity impacts worldwide, which are not captured by other environmental indicators.

## Contribution

The paper introduces a method to quantify biodiversity impacts of processed food crops using spatial data and accessible metrics.

## Key findings

- Land-use and fertilizer use had the largest biodiversity impacts for the studied crops.
- Cocoa production overlaps with nearly 20% of the range of two Critically Endangered monkey species.
- Lack of public farm and trade data limits accurate biodiversity impact estimation for food crops.

## Abstract

We must urgently address unsustainable food system practices to protect important ecosystems. Most research quantifying the environmental impacts of food production and consumption has not measured biodiversity impacts directly or spatially, limiting our ability to evaluate how producing and consuming countries are contributing to food system sustainability. Here, we quantify the biodiversity impacts of food crops commonly found in processed foods using a range of accessible metrics. We focus on ingredients found in popular processed foods, such as chocolate digestive biscuits, and show globally reaching impacts. Land-use and fertiliser impacts were greatest for the food crops considered. We also identified Critically Endangered species at risk from habitat loss associated with crops being supplied to the UK specifically. For instance, cocoa production overlaps with nearly 20% of the range of both the Critically Endangered Roloway and Miss Waldron’s Red Colobus monkeys. As crop-specific farm and trade data are not publicly available, it is difficult to know the origin of all ingredients, limiting biodiversity impact estimation. If such data are released in future, our approach can be used to further evaluate biodiversity impacts of foods to inform more sustainable decision-making at consumer, business, and government levels.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1038/s41598-025-34850-2.