To throw less food you just have to internalize this word: planning. How much food is wastewater for not having planned the purchase list, daily menus and real (non -emotional) nutritional needs of family unit? And how much food is thrown out of the lack of forecast, planning and logistics of all participants in the food chain? Let’s go to the data. According to the report on the 2024 food waste index, published by the United Nations Organization (UN), in 2022 1,050 million tons of food worldwide were wasted, of which 60 % was generated in homes.
World data are also in line with those of Eurostat, the Statistical Agency of the European Union, which observed that 54 % of food waste occurs in homes, a percentage that is equivalent to 72 kilograms per inhabitant.
But what is really the food waste And what impact does it have? As explained by the experts of the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC), the food waste refers to safe and nutritious foods that are discarded or destined for other uses of human or animal feed throughout the entire food chain. Therefore, as they clarify in the UOC, the waste should not be confused with food losses, which occur when food stays in agricultural farms and reincorporate the ground or composted in situ.
Environmental and economic impact
As can be seen from the analysis carried out by Anna Bach Faig, director of the University Master’s Degree in Healthy and Sustainable Food of the Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) and Nadia San Onofre Bernat, a professor and researcher at the Nutraliss Group of the UOC health science studies, currently, food waste generates between 8 % and 10 % of the World greenhouse gas emissions. This is almost 5 times the total emissions of the aviation sector. And while this happens, 783 million people suffer from hunger, a third of the world’s population faces food insecurity and high prices of food are a growing concern. “If we could take advantage of the food we waste, we could provide 1.3 daily meals to all people who go hungry in the world,” says San Onofre Bernat.
But in addition, according to the experts, the food waste not only has an environmental impact, but also economic: It is estimated that it is a loss of billions of euros worldwide. This loss affects both family and national economies, since money spent on foods that are finally thrown could be used for other needs.
Thus, it is a global problem that requires urgent and coordinated actions, According to Bach. The member states of the European Union have pledged to reduce food by 10 % in the transformation and manufacturing sectors, and 30 % per capita in the fields of detail and consumption (restaurants, food and homes) before the end of 2030 And fair, ”reflects Bach.
Tips for throwing less food at home
It is convenient to act, therefore, from homes and from both individual and collective, because each small action counts. That is why the experts of the UOC invite you to do so following the following recommendations at home, in stores and markets, at work, at school, at university, in coffees, in restaurants and hotels. These are your tips:
At home:
– Plan foods well: Prepare a list of meals that you are going to prepare during the week.
– Use leftovers: give a second life to foods that have left over a meal. For example, cooked vegetables can become a delicious soup or puree, and overrawal can be used to make snacks or salads.
– Know the dates: the preferred consumption date refers to quality, while the expiration date indicates safety. Foods with preferential consumption date can be safe to eat after this date, although they may have lost part of their flavor or texture. On the other hand, expiration date should not be consumed after this date for security reasons.
– Use smaller dishes: serve in smaller dishes and repeat if necessary.
– Freeza: Save portions prepared in the freezer at a temperature of -18 ° C. Be sure to label them with the freezing date to use them before they lose quality.
– Store correctly: Follow storage instructions and keep the fridge between 1 ° C and 4 ° C.
– Be aware of what you have: make an inventory of the products and food you have in the pantry and in the fridge. This will help you use the food at home before buying new foods, which avoids unnecessary purchases.
– Broken food: Use older foods or expire before.
In stores or markets:
– Make a purchase list: buy only what you need.
– Do not buy hungry: this will help you avoid impulsive purchases. When you are hungry, you are more likely to buy food that you do not need or in excessive quantities.
– Buy the fair amount: choose the proper packaging measure or bulk foods to acquire only the amount you need.
– Choose imperfect fruits and vegetables: they usually have a discount and are equally good.
At work, school or university:
– Ask for the right portion: in the canteen, ask for the amount you really are going to eat.
– Control the refrigerator of the office: check out the fridge or the fruit basket of the office so that food does not spoil.
– Share advice: Disseminate your waste prevention ideas among your classmates to inspire other people to adopt similar practices and create a culture of sustainability at work, school or university.
In coffees, restaurants and hotels:
– Take the leftovers: ask for a lunchline to take what you don’t end.
– Use smaller dishes: serve in smaller dishes and repeat if necessary.
– Manage expectations: Be aware of the availability of food according to the time.
Important global initiatives
Finally Anna Bach and Natalia San Onofre collect these four fundamental initiatives to deal with food waste:
Food donation. It is a key piece in the fight against food waste and a priority scope of the European Union Action Plan. Although the main objective is to avoid the generation of surpluses throughout the supply chain, when these surpluses occur and food is safe and suitable for human consumption – that is, when they comply with a series of hygienic and safety standards – the best destination is to make them available to the people who need it most. Facilitating food donation not only helps reduce waste, but also contributes to combating food insecurity and foster a more solidary and fair society. It is an opportunity to transform surpluses into hope and support for those who need it. On the other hand, foods that are no longer suitable for human consumption can be used for animal feed, when it is sure to do so.
Circular economy. In addition to food donation, there are several innovative ways to reduce food waste and take advantage of food. One of these forms is the extraction of nutrients from food waste to create natural fertilizers that can be used in agriculture to enrich soil and improve crop production. Food surpluses can also be transformed into biogas, a renewable energy source that can replace fossil fuels. In addition, organic waste can be composed to produce compound, which reduces the need for chemical fertilizers and improves soil health. These practices help promote the sustainability and resilience of the food system, since they close the cycle of resources and minimize the environmental impact.
New technologies. They are playing a relevant role in reducing food waste. For example, mobile applications such as Too Good to Go, Coometas – Save food, wesaveeat or tapper connect establishments that have food surpluses with consumers willing to buy these products at reduced prices, which prevents them from being thrown. In addition, there are other mobile applications, such as expire, which help manage food expiration dates. Intelligent sensors for food conservation have also been developed, which can monitor the freshness of products and notify when it is time to consume them (which prolongs their useful life), and platforms such as NARARA, which connect food surpluses with charity organizations. These are some of the innovations that are helping to reduce waste.
Education and awareness. Educational programs in schools, public awareness campaigns and the promotion of changes in current consumption habits are essential to change food consumption and purchase habits. Therefore, they have become a fundamental pillar in the fight against food waste. It is important that people be aware of the impact of food waste and learn to better manage food.
These are some of the recommendations that, as required by both experts, work in the virtual classrooms of the university master’s degree of healthy and sustainable eating of the UOC, where students learn to implement practices based on scientific evidence to reduce food waste and promote sustainability.
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