In a world where technology is advancing and innovation is essential, we face the persistent problem of food waste. Every year, tons of food end up in the trash while millions go hungry. This waste affects not only the food industry, but also the economy and the environment. So, what can be done to bring about meaningful change?

Food waste: what is its impact?

Food waste has a significant impact on the food industry, since it generates:

• Economic losses.
  
• Damage to the environment.
• Social challenges.

According to the United Nations Environment Program (2024), it is estimated that a total of 1052 million tons of food were discarded in 2022 alone. These came mainly from:

• Households.
• Retailers.
• Restaurants and other food services.

This figure is worrying, especially when millions of people around the world suffer from hunger and malnutrition. In addition, waste has a negative impact on the environment and, of course, represents losses to the food industry (United Nations Environment Programme, 2024).

Other impacts

Specifically, worldwide waste results in economic losses estimated at about US$400 billion annually (Diaz, 2023). In addition, at the business level, it contributes to:

• Increase production costs.
• Affect the profitability of producers and distributors.

From the environmental point of view, it generates problems such as:

• Greenhouse gas emissions.
• Depletion of natural resources.
• Degradation of the environment.

Based on the above, you need to reflect on what practices your company is doing to adopt more sustainable and responsible approaches.

Factors contributing to food waste

Several elements contribute to the wastage of raw food materials and create challenges in solving the problem. Some of them are:

• Inadequate handling of food from production to sale. This is especially true for seasonal fruits.
• Incorrect storage of food or a break in its cold chain, which can cause it to deteriorate and become unfit for consumption
• Sometimes, more food is produced than necessary due to inadequate inventory management or lack of coordination between supply chain actors.
• People often discard bad looking products or those with small imperfections, even though they are edible.
• Consumers do not buy certain foods, which can force companies to discard them.

Opportunities and innovative solutions

Undoubtedly, reducing wastage is essential to ensure sustainability and food safety. Some opportunities based on innovative preservation technologies are (The Food Tech, 2024):

• Development of packaging with antimicrobial properties, freshness indicators and modified atmosphere control systems to extend product shelf life.
• Non-thermal preservation technologies to eliminate pathogens without heat.
• 3D food printing to create customized and personalized products.
• Artificial intelligence in supply chain management and demand forecasting to improve efficiency in food production and distribution.

Other initiatives that can help minimize waste include:

• Food redistribution measures, such as donation programs. These would be useful to channel surpluses to needy communities.
• Implement education and awareness strategies in companies to change their attitudes towards waste.

In summary, addressing food waste requires a comprehensive and collaborative approach. Cooperation and investment in technology are key to achieving this goal. Together, we can make a difference!

References

• Díaz, S. (2023, July 6). Desperdicio de alimentos genera pérdidas por más de $1,6 billones. Portafolio.
• United Nations Environment Programme. (2024). Food Waste Index Report 2024. Think Eat Save: Tracking Progress to Halve Global Food Waste.
• The Food Tech. (2024, March 5). Nuevos métodos de conservación de alimentos: un camino hacia la reducción de desperdicios.