Chocolate and other food preparations containing cocoa (except sweetened cocoa powder), other than in bulk forms

1. Scope and Applicability

This PCR guides production of a foreground data package for finished chocolate and other cocoa-containing food preparations supplied in non-bulk forms. It covers dark, milk, white, filled, coated, moulded, portioned, flaked, vermicelli, praline, and comparable finished preparations when cocoa materials define the product category. The exact marketed product, formulation class, cocoa-content declaration, physical form, inclusions or filling, and packaging configuration must be declared. Product identity and composition are interpreted using Codex CXS 87-1981 (codex-cxs-87-1981).

The default foreground boundary begins when cocoa materials, sugar or sweeteners, dairy ingredients, fats, inclusions, additives, and packaging materials are received at the manufacturing site. It ends with 1 kg net edible product in its declared non-bulk market form at the factory gate. If dried cocoa beans rather than cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, cocoa powder, or another intermediate are received, on-site bean cleaning, roasting, winnowing, grinding, and any pressing or powder grinding must also be included. The manufacturing sequence is based on the chocolate process decomposition reported by Bianchi et al. (bianchi-2020-chocolate-lca).

Excluded products are sweetened cocoa powder, cocoa beans, cocoa liquor/paste, cocoa butter, cocoa powder, and bulk chocolate sold as intermediate materials; cocoa-free sugar confectionery; prepared cocoa beverages; and downstream distribution, retail refrigeration, consumer use, and end-of-life operations. Upstream production of every purchased material and energy carrier remains outside the foreground process inventory but requires a representative upstream dataset for downstream life-cycle use.

2. Product Category Identity

Field	Value
canonical_pcr_id	pcr.food-products-beverages-and-tobacco-textiles-apparel-and-leather-products.grain-mill-products-starches-and-starch-products-other-food-products.chocolate-and-other-food-preparations-containing-cocoa-except-sweetened-cocoa-powder-ot-3fe2fc05
classification_refs	CPC 3.0 23660, Chocolate and other food preparations containing cocoa (except sweetened cocoa powder), other than in bulk forms
covered_products	Finished chocolate and cocoa-containing food preparations supplied as non-bulk units or portions, including declared plain, milk, white, filled, coated, moulded, flaked, vermicelli, praline, and inclusion-containing forms
excluded_products	Sweetened cocoa powder; cocoa beans; cocoa liquor/paste, cocoa butter, cocoa powder, and bulk chocolate sold as intermediates; cocoa-free confectionery; prepared cocoa beverages
representative_product	Packaged finished chocolate in a declared non-bulk market form
production_route	Received cocoa materials and other ingredients -> dosing and formulation -> refining/conching -> tempering, forming, filling or finishing -> cooling -> non-bulk packaging; add on-site cocoa-bean processing when applicable
market_state	Net edible product in a declared solid or semi-solid non-bulk form, packaged and released at the factory gate

3. Reference Flow

Field	Value
What	Provision of finished chocolate or another cocoa-containing food preparation in its declared non-bulk market form at the factory gate
How much	1 kg net edible product, excluding packaging mass
How well	Product subtype, formulation class, cocoa-content declaration, ingredient and allergen profile, physical form, filling or inclusions, quality specification, and packaging configuration are declared
How long or cycle	One released production batch at factory gate; no use duration is assigned
reference_flow_link	1 kg of the category-defining Chocolate product flow, with the required product qualifiers declared

Field	Value
Reference amount	1 kg net edible product
Reference product flow	Chocolate 4c4a6e1b-a4a8-4d16-ac36-1e5492e752a3
Reference flow property	Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66
Reference unit group	Units of mass 93a60a57-a4c8-11da-a746-0800200c9a66
Reference unit	kg
Required qualifiers	product subtype; formulation class; total cocoa solids or applicable cocoa-content declaration; dairy status; filling or inclusion type; physical form; net edible mass; packaging configuration; starting cocoa-material condition; production geography; reference year; factory gate

When constructing a foreground data package, the items listed in Required qualifiers must be declared in dataset metadata, process notes, reference flow comment, product description, or an equivalent data package field. Missing required qualifiers make the reference flow definition incomplete for that data package.

4. Measurement and Unit Rules

rule_id	Applies to	Required property	Required unit	Rule
reference_mass	reference product	Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66	kg	Express the reference flow as net edible product mass at factory gate; do not include packaging mass.
packaging_mass_separation	packaging inputs and outputs	Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66	kg	Measure packaging separately from edible product and report each material class without adding it to reference product mass.
ingredient_mass_basis	cocoa and other ingredient inputs	Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66	kg	Record as-received mass and retain dry-matter, moisture, cocoa-solids, or concentration data when required to reconcile formulations.
rework_mass_tracking	off-spec product and internal rework	Mass 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66	kg	Record generation and re-entry of internal rework separately; count only material leaving the foreground boundary as waste or co-product.
utility_unit_preservation	electricity, heat, cooling, fuels, and water	activity-specific property	kWh, MJ, kg, or m3 as metered	Preserve the metered unit and conversion factor; do not combine electricity, thermal energy, cooling service, fuel mass, and water mass into one undifferentiated quantity.

5. System Boundary

rule_id	Applies to	Rule	source_ids
boundary_default_gate	foreground starting and ending gates	Begin at site receipt of cocoa materials, other ingredients, and packaging; end with released non-bulk product and separately recorded packaging at factory gate. Require upstream datasets for purchased inputs.	ec-pef-2021-2279; bianchi-2020-chocolate-lca
boundary_on_site_cocoa_processing	sites receiving dried cocoa beans	Include cleaning and selection, roasting, winnowing, milling, and any on-site pressing or cake grinding used to produce cocoa liquor, butter, or powder.	bianchi-2020-chocolate-lca
boundary_environmental_inventory	all foreground processes	Inventory raw materials, water, energy, waste water, waste gas, solid waste, and relevant direct emissions; retain a process flow sheet showing where emissions arise.	eu-fdm-bat-2019
boundary_downstream_separation	distribution, use, and end of life	Exclude downstream stages from this foreground package but keep product and packaging outputs suitable for connection to a downstream cradle-to-grave model.	ec-pef-2021-2279
boundary_no_double_counting	shared utilities and internal intermediates	Assign each input, emission, waste, and intermediate transfer once; where site totals are allocated to processes, do not also add the same submetered quantity.	ec-pef-2021-2279

Boundary Abstraction

Field	Value
declared_starting_condition	received_cocoa_materials_and_other_ingredients; declare whether cocoa enters as dried beans, liquor/paste, butter, powder, chocolate, or another cocoa preparation
starting_condition_role	foreground manufacturing gate and determinant of whether cocoa-bean primary processing is included
product_classification_scope	CPC 3.0 23660; finished non-bulk chocolate and other cocoa-containing food preparations, excluding sweetened cocoa powder
recursive_input_rule	A purchased input already within this product category, such as chocolate used for coating or filling, is recorded as a separate product input with its own upstream dataset and is not recursively expanded inside the same foreground package.
upstream_dataset_requirement	Representative upstream datasets are required for each cocoa derivative, sugar or sweetener, dairy ingredient, fat, inclusion, additive, packaging material, fuel, electricity mix, water supply, and external waste treatment service.
disclosure	Declare formulation and cocoa-content basis, starting cocoa-material condition, included unit operations, geography, reference year, technology, batch scope, internal rework, co-products, packaging configuration, utility allocation, cut-offs, and omitted flows.

6. Process Inventory Structure

Process Map

process_id	process_name	inclusion	inclusion_condition	role	quantitative_reference
cocoa_bean_processing	On-site cocoa-bean processing	conditional	Include when the site receives dried cocoa beans and produces cocoa liquor, butter, or powder used in the reference product.	foreground cocoa intermediate production	kg cocoa intermediates transferred to formulation
ingredient_formulation	Ingredient receipt, dosing, and formulation	required		foreground material preparation	kg formulated chocolate mix
refining_conching	Refining and conching	required		foreground particle-size reduction, mixing, flavour development, and moisture/volatile removal	kg refined chocolate mass
tempering_forming_finishing	Tempering, forming, filling, coating, and cooling	required	Include only the finishing operations used by the declared product subtype.	foreground final product formation	kg finished edible product before packaging
non_bulk_packaging	Non-bulk packaging	required		foreground packaging and release	kg net edible product plus separately measured packaging
site_utilities_environmental_control	Site utilities, cleaning, and environmental control	required		shared foreground support and environmental-flow accounting	site utility and emission totals normalized to kg reference product

Process: On-site cocoa-bean processing (cocoa_bean_processing)

Inputs

Product flows

Dried cocoa beans received for on-site transformation (cocoa_bean_input)

Record dried cocoa beans only when bean cleaning, roasting, winnowing, milling, pressing, or cake grinding occurs inside the foreground site.

• Selected flow: Dried cocoa beans
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: measured as-received cocoa bean mass attributable to the reference product
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg net edible reference product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_cocoa_bean_inputs
• Sources:
• Range: Provisional cocoa-bean input screening estimate
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 2
  • Unit: kg/kg net edible product
  • Basis: broad first-pass screening estimate; replace with batch mass-balance evidence
  • Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Outputs

Product flows

Cocoa intermediates transferred to formulation (cocoa_intermediate_output)

Record cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, cocoa powder, or other cocoa intermediates separately by actual material identity and transferred mass.

• Selected flow: Cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, or cocoa powder as applicable
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: measured transfer mass by cocoa intermediate type
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Product-specific (product_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg net edible reference product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_cocoa_intermediate_outputs
• Sources:

Waste flows

Cocoa shells, screenings, and rejected beans leaving the site (cocoa_processing_residues)

Record each residue route separately; internal reuse is an internal transfer and must not be counted as an avoided product.

• Selected flow: Cocoa processing residues
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: measured residue mass by destination
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg net edible reference product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_waste_outputs
• Sources:

Process: Ingredient receipt, dosing, and formulation (ingredient_formulation)

Inputs

Product flows

Cocoa-derived materials used in the formulation (cocoa_material_inputs)

Record each purchased or internally transferred cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, cocoa powder, chocolate, or other cocoa preparation separately.

• Selected flow: Declared cocoa-derived material
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: measured batch issue mass by ingredient and lot
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Product-specific (product_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg net edible reference product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_formulation_inputs
• Sources:
• Range: Provisional cocoa-material input screening estimate
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0.05
  • Upper: 1.2
  • Unit: kg/kg net edible product
  • Basis: broad product-family screening estimate; replace with formulation and mass-balance evidence
  • Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Sugar, dairy, fats, inclusions, additives, and other ingredients (other_ingredient_inputs)

Record ingredient masses separately by material identity; retain concentration or dry-matter information where formulation reconciliation needs it.

• Selected flow: Declared non-cocoa ingredient
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: measured batch issue mass by ingredient and lot
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Product-specific (product_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg net edible reference product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_formulation_inputs
• Sources:
• Range: Provisional non-cocoa ingredient screening estimate
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 1.2
  • Unit: kg/kg net edible product
  • Basis: broad product-family screening estimate; replace with formulation and mass-balance evidence
  • Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Outputs

Product flows

Formulated chocolate mix transferred to refining (formulated_mix_output)

Record the reconciled mass of formulated mix transferred to the refining/conching stage.

• Selected flow: Formulated chocolate mix
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: measured transfer mass or calculated ingredient sum adjusted for measured losses
• Value mode: Calculated value (calculated_value)
• Specificity: Product-specific (product_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg net edible reference product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Calculated from collection (calculated_from_collection)
• Collection protocol: cp_formulation_inputs
• Sources:

Process: Refining and conching (refining_conching)

Inputs

Product flows

Formulated mix supplied to refining and conching (formulated_mix_input)

Record the mass transferred from formulation without creating a second upstream burden for the same internal intermediate.

• Selected flow: Formulated chocolate mix
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: measured internal transfer mass
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Product-specific (product_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg net edible reference product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_process_transfers
• Sources:

Outputs

Product flows

Refined and conched chocolate mass (refined_chocolate_mass)

Record the mass leaving the declared refining/conching sequence. Bianchi et al. identify refining and conching as central chocolate-manufacturing operations (bianchi-2020-chocolate-lca).

• Selected flow: Refined chocolate mass
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: measured transfer mass after refining/conching
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Product-specific (product_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg net edible reference product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_process_transfers
• Sources: bianchi-2020-chocolate-lca
• Range: Provisional refined-mass yield screening estimate
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0.8
  • Upper: 1.2
  • Unit: kg/kg net edible product
  • Basis: broad first-pass mass-balance screening estimate; replace with batch evidence
  • Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Waste flows

Off-spec chocolate not internally reworked (off_spec_chocolate)

Record only material that leaves the foreground system as waste or a separately marketed co-product; track internal rework as an internal loop.

• Selected flow: Off-spec chocolate
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: measured off-spec mass by disposition
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg net edible reference product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_waste_outputs
• Sources:
• Range: Provisional off-spec output screening estimate
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 0.2
  • Unit: kg/kg net edible product
  • Basis: broad first-pass screening estimate; replace with disposition records
  • Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Process: Tempering, forming, filling, coating, and cooling (tempering_forming_finishing)

Inputs

Product flows

Refined chocolate and declared fillings or inclusions (finishing_material_inputs)

Record internal refined chocolate transfer and any separately purchased or produced filling, coating, or inclusion not already captured in formulation.

• Selected flow: Refined chocolate, filling, coating, or inclusion as applicable
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: measured transfer or batch issue mass
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Product-specific (product_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg net edible reference product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_process_transfers
• Sources:

Outputs

Product flows

Finished edible product before packaging (finished_unpacked_product)

Record the conforming product after tempering, forming, filling or coating, and cooling, before packaging.

• Selected flow: Finished unpacked chocolate or cocoa-containing preparation
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: measured conforming unpacked product mass
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Product-specific (product_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg net edible reference product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_finished_product_mass
• Sources:

Process: Non-bulk packaging (non_bulk_packaging)

Inputs

Product flows

Primary and secondary packaging materials (packaging_material_inputs)

Record each wrapper, film, foil, paper, board, tray, carton, label, adhesive, and other packaging material separately by actual mass and material.

• Selected flow: Declared packaging material
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: measured or purchase-and-stock-reconciled packaging consumption
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Product-specific (product_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg net edible reference product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_packaging_materials
• Sources:
• Range: Provisional packaging-mass screening estimate
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0.001
  • Upper: 0.5
  • Unit: kg/kg net edible product
  • Basis: broad non-bulk packaging screening estimate; replace with bill-of-material and issue records
  • Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Outputs

Product flows

Released packaged reference product (reference_product_output)

The edible portion is the quantitative reference; packaging is connected separately and is not included in the 1 kg reference amount.

• Selected flow: Chocolate 4c4a6e1b-a4a8-4d16-ac36-1e5492e752a3
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: 1 kg measured net edible product after release reconciliation
• Value mode: Fixed value (fixed_value)
• Specificity: Product-specific (product_specific)
• Normalization basis: 1 kg net edible reference product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Identity reference (identity_reference)
• Sources:

Waste flows

Packaging scrap and rejected packaging (packaging_waste)

Record packaging scrap by material and actual treatment or recovery destination.

• Selected flow: Packaging waste by material
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: measured packaging scrap mass by material and destination
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg net edible reference product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_waste_outputs
• Sources:
• Range: Provisional packaging-waste screening estimate
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 0.1
  • Unit: kg/kg net edible product
  • Basis: broad first-pass screening estimate; replace with waste records
  • Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Process: Site utilities, cleaning, and environmental control (site_utilities_environmental_control)

Inputs

Product flows

Site electricity used by foreground production (site_electricity)

Use process submetering where available; otherwise allocate a complete site electricity balance to products with the disclosed rule.

• Selected flow: Electricity, declared grid or supplier mix
• Flow property / unit: Energy / kWh
• Amount rule: metered electricity attributable to the foreground production period
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg net edible reference product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_site_utilities
• Sources: eu-fdm-bat-2019
• Range: Provisional electricity screening estimate
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0.05
  • Upper: 5
  • Unit: kWh/kg net edible product
  • Basis: broad first-pass site electricity estimate; replace with submeter or invoice reconciliation
  • Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Site thermal energy or fuel used by foreground production (site_thermal_energy)

Record purchased heat and each direct fuel separately; do not double count fuel energy and purchased heat.

• Selected flow: Declared fuel or purchased thermal energy
• Flow property / unit: Energy or mass / MJ or kg
• Amount rule: metered purchased heat or reconciled fuel consumption
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg net edible reference product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_site_utilities
• Sources: eu-fdm-bat-2019
• Range: Provisional thermal-energy screening estimate
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 20
  • Unit: MJ/kg net edible product
  • Basis: broad first-pass thermal-energy estimate; replace with meter or fuel records
  • Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Cooling energy or service used by foreground production (site_cooling_energy)

Record cooling electricity or purchased cooling service and state whether it is already included in site electricity.

• Selected flow: Cooling electricity or cooling service
• Flow property / unit: Energy / kWh
• Amount rule: submetered or engineering-allocated cooling energy
• Value mode: Calculated value (calculated_value)
• Specificity: Technology-specific (technology_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg net edible reference product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Calculated from collection (calculated_from_collection)
• Collection protocol: cp_site_utilities
• Sources:
• Range: Provisional cooling-energy screening estimate
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 2
  • Unit: kWh/kg net edible product
  • Basis: broad first-pass cooling estimate; replace with submetering or equipment calculation
  • Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Water used for cleaning and process support (cleaning_water)

Record water by source and purpose; dry cleaning with zero water must be explicitly documented rather than omitted.

• Selected flow: Water supply by source
• Flow property / unit: Mass or volume / kg or m3
• Amount rule: metered or reconciled water use attributable to foreground production
• Value mode: Foreground record (foreground_record)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg net edible reference product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Collected record (collected_record)
• Collection protocol: cp_water_wastewater
• Sources: eu-fdm-bat-2019
• Range: Provisional water-use screening estimate
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 10
  • Unit: kg/kg net edible product
  • Basis: broad first-pass cleaning and support-water estimate; replace with water balance
  • Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Outputs

Waste flows

Process and cleaning wastewater sent to treatment (process_wastewater)

Record wastewater quantity, treatment destination, and relevant monitored characteristics; a documented zero-discharge route is allowed.

• Selected flow: Wastewater to declared treatment
• Flow property / unit: Mass or volume / kg or m3
• Amount rule: metered or water-balance-derived wastewater quantity
• Value mode: Calculated value (calculated_value)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg net edible reference product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Calculated from collection (calculated_from_collection)
• Collection protocol: cp_water_wastewater
• Sources: eu-fdm-bat-2019
• Range: Provisional wastewater screening estimate
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 10
  • Unit: kg/kg net edible product
  • Basis: broad first-pass wastewater estimate; replace with flow monitoring or water balance
  • Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

Elementary flows

Direct air and water emissions from on-site operations (direct_site_emissions)

Record measured or calculated direct emissions from combustion, roasting, dust control, refrigeration losses, wastewater discharge, and other foreground sources. Do not duplicate emissions already represented by purchased energy or off-site treatment datasets.

• Selected flow: Relevant elementary flow by substance and compartment
• Flow property / unit: Mass / kg
• Amount rule: measured concentration and flow, mass-balance loss, or fuel-factor calculation by source
• Value mode: Calculated value (calculated_value)
• Specificity: Site-specific (site_specific)
• Normalization basis: per 1 kg net edible reference product
• Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
• Evidence kind: Calculated from collection (calculated_from_collection)
• Collection protocol: cp_direct_emissions
• Sources: eu-fdm-bat-2019
• Range: Provisional direct-emission screening interval
  • Range role: QA guardrail (qa_guardrail)
  • Lower: 0
  • Upper: 1
  • Unit: kg substance/kg net edible product
  • Basis: deliberately broad first-pass screen for each reported substance; replace with monitored or factor-based evidence
  • Basis kind: Reference flow (reference_flow)
  • Evidence kind: Reasoned estimate (reasoned_estimate)

7. Allocation and Co-product Handling

rule_id	Applies to	Rule	source_ids
allocation_avoid	foreground burdens	Avoid allocation by subdividing processes, separately metering unit operations, and tracking internal intermediates and rework.	ec-pef-2021-2279
allocation_internal_rework	internal rework	Treat rework that returns to the same foreground system as an internal loop; do not credit it as an avoided product and do not count it as waste unless it leaves the boundary.
allocation_physical_relation	unavoidable co-product allocation	Use a demonstrable physical relationship that reflects how inputs and outputs change; disclose the relationship, factor, and affected flows.	ec-pef-2021-2279; bianchi-2020-chocolate-lca
allocation_fallback_sensitivity	cocoa liquor, butter, powder, or other jointly produced outputs	If no more representative physical relation is available, use dry mass as the provisional allocation basis and test an energy-content or economic alternative when the result is material.	bianchi-2020-chocolate-lca
allocation_shared_utilities	site totals not directly metered to products	Allocate using documented causal drivers such as equipment energy, operating time, throughput, or production mass; reconcile allocated totals to the site record and prevent double counting.	ec-pef-2021-2279; eu-fdm-bat-2019

8. Foreground Data Collection, Calculation, and Quality Rules

Data Collection Protocols

protocol_id	process_id	flow_role	record_type	raw_fields	collection_method	unit	frequency	temporal_coverage	site_scope	aggregation_rule	quality_evidence
cp_cocoa_bean_inputs	cocoa_bean_processing	dried cocoa beans	receiving and batch issue records	lot id; supplier; origin; mass; moisture; receiving date; batch id	calibrated scale or weighbridge reconciled to inventory	kg	per lot and batch	representative production period, normally at least 12 consecutive months	all lines receiving beans for covered products	sum attributable bean mass and normalize to released net product	scale calibration; lot traceability; inventory reconciliation
cp_cocoa_intermediate_outputs	cocoa_bean_processing	cocoa liquor, butter, powder, and residues	transfer and yield records	batch id; intermediate identity; input mass; output mass; moisture or solids; destination	calibrated scale plus batch mass balance	kg	per batch	same period as reference product	all on-site bean-processing lines	sum outputs by identity and reconcile to bean input and residues	scale calibration; batch yield report; reconciliation
cp_formulation_inputs	ingredient_formulation	cocoa and non-cocoa formulation inputs	recipe, batch issue, and inventory records	product code; batch id; ingredient id; lot id; issued mass; return mass; moisture or concentration	calibrated dosing system and inventory reconciliation	kg	per batch	same period as reference product	all formulation lines for covered products	net issued mass by ingredient divided by released net product	recipe version; dosing calibration; lot and stock reconciliation
cp_process_transfers	refining_conching	internal formulated and refined chocolate transfers	batch transfer records	batch id; source process; destination process; material identity; gross mass; tare; timestamp	calibrated vessel, load-cell, or mass-balance transfer record	kg	per transfer or batch	same period as reference product	all covered refining, conching, and finishing lines	reconcile incoming and outgoing transfers without adding upstream burdens twice	equipment calibration; batch genealogy; transfer reconciliation
cp_finished_product_mass	tempering_forming_finishing	conforming finished edible product	production and release records	product code; batch id; gross mass; packaging tare; net edible mass; rejects; release status	calibrated checkweigher or reconciled production scale	kg	per batch and packaging run	same period as reference product	all covered forming and finishing lines	sum released net edible mass; exclude packaging and unreleased rejects	scale calibration; release record; net-content reconciliation
cp_packaging_materials	non_bulk_packaging	packaging consumption	bill of materials, issue, return, and stock records	packaging material id; composition; issued mass; returned mass; packaged units; scrap	measured issue/return or supplier mass verified by sampling	kg	per packaging run and monthly reconciliation	same period as reference product	all non-bulk packaging lines	net consumed packaging mass by material divided by released net product	bill-of-material revision; stock reconciliation; sample weighing
cp_waste_outputs	non_bulk_packaging	food and packaging wastes	waste logs and transfer documents	waste type; source process; mass; date; destination; treatment route; rework status	calibrated waste scale and contractor records	kg	per collection and monthly reconciliation	same period as reference product	all foreground processes	sum only waste crossing the site boundary by type and route	scale calibration; transfer note; rework reconciliation
cp_site_utilities	site_utilities_environmental_control	electricity, heat, fuels, and cooling	meters, invoices, fuel receipts, and production logs	meter id; opening and closing readings; fuel quantity; calorific value; production period; line operating hours	revenue meter, submeter, or reconciled engineering allocation	native meter unit, kWh, MJ, or kg	continuous or per invoice; aggregate monthly	representative production period, normally at least 12 consecutive months	complete site and all covered production lines	subtract excluded uses, allocate with disclosed driver, and reconcile to site total	meter calibration; invoices; allocation worksheet; site-total reconciliation
cp_water_wastewater	site_utilities_environmental_control	water and wastewater	supply and discharge meters, water balance, and monitoring records	source; inflow; use area; discharge route; flow; pH; temperature; monitored pollutant loads	meters and documented water balance; accredited analysis where applicable	kg, m3, and substance-specific units	continuous or monthly flow; monitoring frequency appropriate to permit and source	same period as reference product	complete site water system	reconcile inflow, consumption, product incorporation, evaporation, and discharge	meter calibration; water-balance closure; laboratory reports
cp_direct_emissions	site_utilities_environmental_control	direct emissions to air and water	stack, fugitive, refrigerant, wastewater, and fuel records	source id; substance; concentration; flow; operating time; fuel use; factor; refrigerant additions; compartment	direct monitoring or transparent calculation from collected activity data	kg substance and source-specific measurement units	by monitoring plan and per material event	same period as reference product	all foreground emission sources	concentration x flow x time or collected activity x documented factor, then normalize	calibration; laboratory report; factor citation; calculation worksheet

Calculation Rules

rule_id	Applies to	Formula or rule	Inputs	Output	source_ids
calc_reference_normalization	all foreground inventory rows	normalized amount = attributable period amount / released net edible product kg	protocol-specific attributable amount; cp_finished_product_mass	amount per 1 kg net edible reference product
calc_formulation_balance	ingredient formulation	net ingredient input = issued mass - returned unused mass; reconcile sum of net inputs to internal transfers, measured losses, and wastes	cp_formulation_inputs; cp_process_transfers; cp_waste_outputs	reconciled kg ingredient by type per reference flow	codex-cxs-87-1981
calc_packaging_consumption	packaging	net packaging consumed = issued mass - unused return; reconcile to packaged units and packaging scrap	cp_packaging_materials; cp_waste_outputs	kg packaging material by type per reference flow
calc_utility_allocation	shared site utilities	attributable utility = complete site utility total - excluded uses, multiplied by disclosed causal allocation share; sum of shares must equal the allocable total	cp_site_utilities; operating hours; throughput; submeter data	kWh, MJ, or kg utility per reference flow	ec-pef-2021-2279; eu-fdm-bat-2019
calc_water_balance	water and wastewater	water input = product incorporation + evaporation + wastewater + other measured losses within documented uncertainty	cp_water_wastewater	reconciled water input and wastewater per reference flow	eu-fdm-bat-2019
calc_direct_emissions	direct emissions	emission mass = measured concentration x standardized volumetric flow x operating time, or collected activity x cited emission factor	cp_direct_emissions	kg substance by compartment per reference flow	eu-fdm-bat-2019

Data Quality Requirements

requirement_id	Applies to	Requirement	Evidence
dq_product_identity	reference product	Retain product code, subtype, recipe version, cocoa-content declaration, physical form, filling or inclusions, packaging configuration, batch id, and release status.	product specification; recipe; release record; codex-cxs-87-1981
dq_mass_measurement	all material inputs and outputs	Use calibrated weighing systems and reconcile ingredient, intermediate, product, rework, waste, and packaging masses for the same production population.	calibration records; batch and period mass balances
dq_temporal_coverage	foreground activity data	Use a representative continuous period, normally at least 12 months, or disclose seasonality, campaign duration, start-up, shutdown, and other departures.	dated raw records; coverage statement
dq_geography_technology	site and upstream links	Declare site geography, production technology, cocoa-material starting condition, energy supply, wastewater treatment, and representativeness of upstream datasets.	site description; supplier and dataset metadata
dq_environmental_completeness	utilities, wastes, wastewater, and emissions	Maintain a complete inventory of water, energy, raw materials, waste water, waste gas, solid waste, and relevant direct emissions, with justified zeroes and omissions.	process flow sheet; inventories and monitoring plan; eu-fdm-bat-2019
dq_allocation	shared processes and co-products	Retain subdivision attempts, allocation drivers, factors, reconciliations, and sensitivity results for material allocation choices.	allocation worksheet; meter reconciliation; sensitivity result
dq_estimate_replacement	provisional reasoned ranges	Treat every reasoned_estimate range as a replaceable QA screen, never as a published default; replace or explicitly review it before methodology activation.	review record and source-backed or foreground range evidence

9. Validation Rules

rule_id	Applies to	Rule	source_ids
validate_reference_identity	reference flow	Require Chocolate UUID 4c4a6e1b-a4a8-4d16-ac36-1e5492e752a3, Product flow type, reference property Mass UUID 93a60a56-a3c8-11da-a746-0800200b9a66, Units of mass UUID 93a60a57-a4c8-11da-a746-0800200c9a66, and unit kg.
validate_scope	product identity	Require a non-bulk finished cocoa-containing preparation and reject sweetened cocoa powder, bulk cocoa/chocolate intermediates, cocoa-free confectionery, and prepared beverages.	codex-cxs-87-1981
validate_qualifiers	reference product metadata	Fail completeness when any required qualifier in section 3 is absent.	codex-cxs-87-1981
validate_starting_condition	system boundary	Require the incoming cocoa-material condition and inclusion or exclusion of on-site cocoa-bean processing to be explicit and consistent with process inventory.	bianchi-2020-chocolate-lca
validate_process_coverage	process map and inventory	Require formulation, refining/conching, declared finishing operations, non-bulk packaging, and site utilities; require cocoa-bean processing when beans enter the site.	bianchi-2020-chocolate-lca; eu-fdm-bat-2019
validate_mass_balance	material inventory	Reconcile ingredients and internal transfers to released edible product, packaging, wastes, emissions, and inventory change within disclosed uncertainty.
validate_environmental_inventory	site utilities and releases	Require complete water, energy, raw-material, wastewater, waste-gas, solid-waste, and relevant direct-emission records, with zeroes and omissions justified.	eu-fdm-bat-2019
validate_allocation	shared utilities and co-products	Require allocation avoidance evidence, disclosed causal driver or fallback basis, complete total reconciliation, and no duplicate utility or intermediate burden.	ec-pef-2021-2279; bianchi-2020-chocolate-lca
validate_reasoned_estimates	QA ranges	Flag every reasoned_estimate as provisional and fail activation if a publication-critical allowed range still relies on unreviewed reasoned evidence.

10. Published Dataset Profile

Field	Value
dataset_role	foreground unit-process data package for finished non-bulk chocolate and cocoa-containing food preparations
downstream_use	secondary_dataset; background_dataset; process and lifecyclemodel projections
allowed_use	Products matching CPC 3.0 23660 and the declared formulation, physical form, starting condition, geography, technology, packaging, and factory-gate boundary
excluded_use	Sweetened cocoa powder; bulk cocoa/chocolate intermediates; cocoa-free confectionery; prepared beverages; products with materially different starting conditions or unit operations; comparative consumer claims without a separately justified functional equivalence
required_metadata	canonical PCR id; reference UUID and mass basis; product subtype; formulation and cocoa-content declaration; dairy, filling, and inclusion status; physical form; starting cocoa material; site geography; reference year; technology; process coverage; packaging bill; allocation; cut-offs; upstream dataset identities
required_quality_disclosure	raw-record coverage; calibration; mass, water, and utility reconciliation; data gaps; estimated shares; reasoned-estimate replacements; allocation and sensitivity; wastewater and direct-emission monitoring; upstream representativeness
update_trigger	material recipe or cocoa-content change; new starting cocoa material; changed process route, equipment, energy mix, packaging, geography, allocation, environmental control, regulatory requirement, or data period; replacement of a material provisional estimate

11. Data Sources

Source id	Type	Reference	Used for
codex-cxs-87-1981	standard	Codex Alimentarius, CXS 87-1981, Standard for Chocolate and Chocolate Products, amended 2025 with 2026 corrigendum, https://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/sh-proxy/en/?lnk=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fworkspace.fao.org%2Fsites%2Fcodex%2FStandards%2FCXS%2B87-1981%2FCXS_087e.pdf (retrieved 2026-08-10)	Product scope, chocolate types, composition and cocoa-content qualifiers, identity validation
ec-pef-2021-2279	official_guidance	European Commission, Recommendation (EU) 2021/2279 on the use of the Environmental Footprint methods, Annexes I-II, https://environment.ec.europa.eu/publications/recommendation-use-environmental-footprint-methods_en (retrieved 2026-08-10)	Functional unit and reference flow framing, life-cycle boundary, inventory completeness, allocation hierarchy, data quality and robustness
eu-fdm-bat-2019	official_guidance	Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2019/2031 establishing BAT conclusions for the food, drink and milk industries, https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2019/2031/oj (retrieved 2026-08-10)	Process flow sheets and inventories of water, energy, raw materials, wastewater, waste gas, solid waste and emissions; monitoring and quality evidence
bianchi-2020-chocolate-lca	literature	Bianchi, F. R. et al. (2020), Environmental analysis along the supply chain of dark, milk and white chocolate: a life cycle comparison, The International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11367-020-01817-6	Chocolate manufacturing process decomposition, ingredient and packaging relevance, energy/cooling context, co-product allocation sensitivity