Table 6.

Summary of proposed methodological approaches to assess the sustainability of MedDiet's typical agro-food products.

References	Sustainability indicators
Azzini et al. (48)	Business distinctiveness of agro-food companies and food safety •Distinctiveness for agro-food companies   • Application of EU regulations, specific national laws, and voluntary requirements. •Primary production, marketing, and labeling   • Nutritional macro and micronutrient content regulated by national and EU laws.	Foodstuffs: the healthy-nutritional sustainability •Nutritional sustainability index   • Food specific nutritional indicators and their effects on health (Critical nutrients/“bioactive compounds,” whose concentrations are considered for calculating the macro-indicator on the nutritional quality for each group of foods. For details see original publication)
Capone et al. (49)	Environmental criterion / indicators •Land use and management   • Application of soil conservation practices   • Soil erosion protection •Input of nitrogen fertilizers   • Input of plant protection products   • Use of agricultural machinery •Biodiversity   • Crop diversity   • Number of farm animal species   • Tree plant density   • Herbaceous plant diversity   • Presence of cover crops   • Legume crop density   • Patch average area   • Semi-natural habitat surface   • Duration of rotation   • Diversity of varieties and animal breeds •Varietal diversity   • Number of plant varieties threatened by genetic erosion   • Number of animal races (varieties)   • Number of animal races (varieties) threatened by genetic erosion •Energy   • Energy intensity •Climate change   • Final Energy consumption   • Mineral fertilizers consumption   • Pesticide consumption •Lubricant consumption   • Plastic material consumption   • Use of off-farm animal feeds •Use of chemical inputs   • Nitrogen consumption   • Use of total phosphorus pentoxide   • Use of fungicides   • Use of insecticides and acaricides   • Use of herbicides •Environmentally sound management of production scraps, by-products, and waste   • Method for management of production scraps, by-products, and waste Economic criterion / indicators •Income level and stability   • Number of products and services produced by the farm   • Distribution of the turnover among different products and services   • Heterogeneity or affinity of products and services supplied   • Index of commercial riskiness–suppliers   • Index of commercial riskiness–customers	Economic criterion / indicators (continued) •Labor and employment   • Index of localization •Investment   • Specific investment for the improvement of sustainability performance •Profitability and productivity of production factors   • Index of gross profitability per labor unit   • Rate of return on invested capital   • Enhancement rate   • Rate of return of family labor Socio-cultural criterion / indicators •Life quality and human well-being of chain actors & corporate social and ethical responsibility   • Companie's voluntary inclusion of social concerns in their activities •Women's participation in business production and management   • Presence of women in business production and management •Social inclusion   • Presence of disadvantaged groups in agribusiness •Relations with the local community   • Collaboration with the local community, local authorities, and civil society   • Social capital of agribusinesses •Promotion of local identity and transmission of traditional knowledge to the new generations   • Activities other than agricultural production as a means for promoting the cultural identity   • Preservation of traditions and local culture   • Inter generation transmission of traditional knowledge •Workers' training planning throughout the chain   • Workers' training throughout the chain •Implementation of training and foreign labor inclusion programs   • Inclusion and training of foreign workers •Respect for animal welfare   • Application of measures of animal welfare Nutrition-health criterion / indicators •Healthiness and food safety   • Farm distinctiveness   • Nutritional quality of solid agro-food material   • Nutritional quality of liquid agro-food material   • Nutritional quality by food groups (Critical nutrients, whose concentrations are considered for calculating the macro-indicator on the nutritional quality for each group of foods. For details see original publication)