Up to 50% of all food created is wasted

[Aimless]

(disclaimer: I have not scrutinized any of the info linked to below or the number in the title. Take it with a pinch of salt)

So a third up to half of all food grown is wasted. While that's disgusting in and of itself, what's almost as worrying is that it means that a large amount of the water, energy etc that goes into food production is ALSO wasted. Do you know of--or can you think of--innovative ways to improve this situation? Can you identify root problems and offer suggestions for fixing them? Can you identify the harmful consequences and find/think of ways to mitigate them?

http://www.imeche.org/knowledge/them...nt/global-food

http://inhabitat.com/up-to-50-percen...s-thrown-away/

[RandBlade]

I don't think it's disgusting. I probably waste quite a bit of food too. I'll go shopping and buy a selection of fresh fruit and veg but not necessarily use it all.

Pre-packaged crap doesn't spoil, fast food doesn't spoil, fresh food does. I'd rather buy too much fresh food and waste it than solely buy long life packaged unhealthy stuff.

[Aimless]

False dilemma. Buy smaller amounts of fresh food and eat before it spoils it should be noted however that a great deal--at least a third of food crops in the UK for example--is never even harvested, which IS kinda disgusting in terms of efficiency if nothing else (not to mention the smell and methane ). It should also be noted that significant amount of the waste seems to be due to an over-zealous approach to sell-by dates. Finally I can't help but wonder if anyone really pays enough for the negative externalities associated with this sort of waste.

One way to mitigate some of the problems: use unharvested crops to produce electricity and/or fertilizer to sustain the farms on which they're produced.

[Lewkowski]

Just goes to show that we are in no danger of food scarcity due to "overpopulation."

[Aimless]

Problems of scarcity associated with food usually seems to have to do with the things required for the production and handling of that food--or things that are ruined by it--eg. water, land, energy. Food shortages themselves seem to mostly have to do with distribution problems and economic problems. However you are OT

[LittleFuzzy]

It should also be noted that significant amount of the waste seems to be due to an over-zealous approach to sell-by dates.

I would actually suggest that most of the waste in harvested food comes from being thrown out unbought. Which means Rand buying in smaller amounts won't help matters and may make them worse.

[Aimless]

I would actually suggest that most of the waste in harvested food comes from being thrown out unbought. Which means Rand buying in smaller amounts won't help matters and may make them worse.

I don't know about worse, either he throws it out or they do, and if he keeps buying food and then throwing it away then it'll encourage stores to buy more food in turn that being said I was referring to stores throwing out food too early because of sell-by dates. I've also found a surprising reluctance in Swedish stores to sell food at a discount rather than to throw it away discount meat is my favourite kind of meat

[Hazir]

Can somebody explain to me why that food can't be used to feed livestock? Or is it maybe used for that purpose?

[Aimless]

Can somebody explain to me why that food can't be used to feed livestock? Or is it maybe used for that purpose?

Probably concerns about safety, meat-multiplying power, nutritional concerns and processing/storage problems. Some crops are used for that purpose. Tomatoes and the like, not so much.

[Aimless]

Although I hear about a third of all food produced worldwide is already used to feed animals!

EDIT: or rather, a third of all food calories produced are used to feed animals?

[Aimless]

http://swtimes.com/sections/opinion/...thousands.html

http://swtimes.com/sections/features...food-bank.html

[GGT]

This is one area where "government regulation" and "corporate quality control" can be a huge problem, even counter-productive, especially in commercially prepared foods. Our charitable distribution centers can get really great day-old breads and pastries from local Panera restaurants...but not directly from bread or donut manufacturers, or any of the Convenience or Grocery store chains.

Recently, while standing in line at a regional dairy/farm/convenience store/gas station franchise, I saw an employee removing every item from a center aisle cold-section (hard boiled eggs, deli sandwiches, cheese, yogurt, pickles, jello)...and taking all of it to their dumpster. I wasn't the only one in line wondering why they were throwing away perfectly good (non-expired) food. Someone said outloud, "why not give that to a homeless shelter or soup kitchen...or me?" Answer: Home Office policy.

Same thing with breads, muffins, pastries, and donuts that have been in the case for 12 hours. Fresh goods are delivered twice a day, and the remaining "old" stuff is thrown in the trash. Krispy Kreme doesn't want anyone eating a day-old donut, it might hurt their brand reputation? Such a waste, such a shame.





It's a common occurrence at every fast food franchise, too. When they switch from breakfast to lunch menus....all the prepared breakfast foods get dumped. Every poached egg, toasted English Muffin, pancake. Enough food to feed several families, and children, a decent breakfast. After they put all that food in dumpsters, they surround the dumpsters with locked fences, CCTV, and security guards, to keep the hungry dumpster-divers out.

Isn't there something very wrong when fast-food franchises or restaurants spend money to protect their garbage from hungry poor people?

[RandBlade]

False dilemma. Buy smaller amounts of fresh food and eat before it spoils it should be noted however that a great deal--at least a third of food crops in the UK for example--is never even harvested, which IS kinda disgusting in terms of efficiency if nothing else (not to mention the smell and methane ). It should also be noted that significant amount of the waste seems to be due to an over-zealous approach to sell-by dates. Finally I can't help but wonder if anyone really pays enough for the negative externalities associated with this sort of waste.

One way to mitigate some of the problems: use unharvested crops to produce electricity and/or fertilizer to sustain the farms on which they're produced.

Gee Einstein and there was me deliberately buying stuff to waste as I enjoy wasting money.

When you're doing a weekly shop on your day off then I'd rather buy enough to last me through the week than run out. I also don't know what the menu will be for the week so get enough.

My time, petrol and health are higher priorities than running out of fresh food, wasting half a kilo of onions, mushrooms etc or eating bad food.

If I buy a kilo of onions for £1 then waste half of them - I frankly don't see what the problem is or why it's disgusting?

EDIT: I'd like to see a source on that GGT. I simply don't believe it. In my experience companies are the ones that try their best and waste the least as its unprofitable to waste and they're far, far more efficient than home kitchens.

[Flixy]

EDIT: I'd like to see a source on that GGT. I simply don't believe it. In my experience companies are the ones that try their best and waste the least as its unprofitable to waste and they're far, far more efficient than home kitchens.

Well, yes, but they also handle a lot more food so there is still a lot wasted. Some stores discount food that is about to pass the sell-by date, some donate it to charity instead of throwing it away, but some do throw it away.

[RandBlade]

Food waste is the closest thing to a sin in Fast Food. I'd be truly shocked if even 1% of their stock gets wasted.

[Flixy]

Food waste is the closest thing to a sin in Fast Food. I'd be truly shocked if even 1% of their stock gets wasted.

I think 1% is pretty optimistic, considering fast food specifically has food ready to serve, which means it can be out too long and has to be thrown away; but I was talking more about supermarkets anyway. But sure, tiny fractions of large amounts of food still are a lot of food, and more eye catching than one guy throwing half a bread away.

[Aimless]

Gee Einstein and there was me deliberately buying stuff to waste as I enjoy wasting money.

Mischaracterization. You might not enjoy wasting significant amounts of money, but you might still be okay with or even enjoy wasting small amounts of money. Another possibility is that, regardless of your enjoyment of money, you might simply not care enough about the food waste you generate because it's not much of an inconvenience to you personally (and immediately).

When you're doing a weekly shop on your day off then I'd rather buy enough to last me through the week than run out. I also don't know what the menu will be for the week so get enough.

My time, petrol and health are higher priorities than running out of fresh food, wasting half a kilo of onions, mushrooms etc or eating bad food.

If I buy a kilo of onions for £1 then waste half of them - I frankly don't see what the problem is or why it's disgusting?

If you re-read my post you'll see what I find to be more disgusting than your heinous waste of onions but seriously though chop and freeze left-over onions. I walk to the grocery store and I shop for groceries every day or several times a week so it's obviously easier for me to have fresh ingredients without much waste.

EDIT: I'd like to see a source on that GGT. I simply don't believe it. In my experience companies are the ones that try their best and waste the least as its unprofitable to waste and they're far, far more efficient than home kitchens.

I can't find the source atm but at least one major study that looked at food waste in the US found that about 10% (on average) of all food purchased by restaurants was thrown away before it reached the customer. The customer, in turn, leaves just over 15% on the plate. There is of course no shortage of anecdotes about many McDonald's restaurants requiring any fries not sold within 7 minutes of preparation to be thrown away because McD is so fussy about how customers perceive their fries. Grocery stores routinely throw away unsold rotisserie chickens and deli products, referring to health regulations (I prefer the ones that sell them for cheap near closing time).

I don't have numbers for how much bread, cakes etc grocery stores throw away but bread is one of the most wasted food products in UK households:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17353707

You keep forgetting that businesses are only as efficient as they have to be, and only when they both recognise specific problems AND know of sufficiently easy solutions.

[Flixy]

Mischaracterization. You might not enjoy wasting significant amounts of money, but you might still be okay with or even enjoy wasting small amounts of money. Another possibility is that, regardless of your enjoyment of money, you might simply not care enough about the food waste you generate because it's not much of an inconvenience to you personally (and immediately).

Isn't that the point of spending (more) money on something: getting more luxury. So you can spend more and get pre-cut vegetables (= easier), or you can spend slightly more and buy a bit more food than you need, because that way you don't have to go back to the store.

[Aimless]

He makes me tingle in my giblets

(long parade of examples ca 8 mins in but whole thing is interesting)

[RandBlade]

Mischaracterization. You might not enjoy wasting significant amounts of money, but you might still be okay with or even enjoy wasting small amounts of money. Another possibility is that, regardless of your enjoyment of money, you might simply not care enough about the food waste you generate because it's not much of an inconvenience to you personally (and immediately).

Yeah that's kind of the point - I don't care. You've not yet established a premise of WHY it matters simply jumped in straight with the presumption that not only does it matter but that its so serious a matter that it's "disgusting". Pretty strong language.

If you re-read my post you'll see what I find to be more disgusting than your heinous waste of onions but seriously though chop and freeze left-over onions. I walk to the grocery store and I shop for groceries every day or several times a week so it's obviously easier for me to have fresh ingredients without much waste.

1: Freezing veg affects the composition of it and is not the same as fresh veg. No thanks. I'd sooner throw it away and get quality stuff. If I wanted frozen I'd buy pre-packaged flash frozen rather than freeze at home.

2: Good for you going several times a week. I go and do a big shop once week (sometimes once a fortnight) as do many families. So that doesn't fit in.

Once again the time - and petrol - involved in going to the supermarket every day or every other day is simply not worth it compared to spending a few pounds and getting more than enough to last. I'd rather buy too much to guarantee having enough and then throw away any excess, that is a conscious and positive choice. It is a decision made knowingly and willingly. Why is that disgusting?

I can't find the source atm but at least one major study that looked at food waste in the US found that about 10% (on average) of all food purchased by restaurants was thrown away before it reached the customer. The customer, in turn, leaves just over 15% on the plate. There is of course no shortage of anecdotes about many McDonald's restaurants requiring any fries not sold within 7 minutes of preparation to be thrown away because McD is so fussy about how customers perceive their fries. Grocery stores routinely throw away unsold rotisserie chickens and deli products, referring to health regulations (I prefer the ones that sell them for cheap near closing time).

I don't have numbers for how much bread, cakes etc grocery stores throw away but bread is one of the most wasted food products in UK households:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17353707

You keep forgetting that businesses are only as efficient as they have to be, and only when they both recognise specific problems AND know of sufficiently easy solutions.

To the throwing away sub-par quality food referenced here (and above in GGT's reference about Krispy Kreme's standards): Once again - good. Quality matters. I'd rather buy good quality food than temperamental poor quality food. Standards need to be maintained. If it's not up to standard then it is better to remake and bin it than lose a customer, definitely! What's the problem? Grocery stores do as you say discount end-life products and again have such massive volume and efficiency I don't believe even 1% of their rolling stock gets wasted. Some will be.

Though I simply do not believe that it is 10%. No way.

As far as customers leaving stuff on their plate, that is not waste as far as the restaurant is concerned as it was sold. Only unsold products count as waste. Once again it is better to have a satisfied customer than one who thinks the portion was too small and leaves hungry and the thing about restaurants (versus cooking at home) is you don't know what portion that individual customer needs so it is a generic catch-all. I normally clear my plate while my wife will leave food on hers. Once again I don't think that's a bad thing.

Regarding bread, households != grocery stores etc. Yes I throw bread away at home. I buy a loaf, use a few slices and then throw it away and get a new loaf. Fresh bread is nicer than stale bread even if its still in date. Am I supposed to eat sub-par bread just so its not wasted?

It is the home consumer that is the "worst offender" for wasting food. But why does that matter? You are starting from an assumption that food waste is heinous without even establishing the premise WHY.

[Aimless]

These discussions would be easier to have with you if you'd just, you know, follow links and read posts before replying.

Yeah that's kind of the point - I don't care. You've not yet established a premise of WHY it matters simply jumped in straight with the presumption that not only does it matter but that its so serious a matter that it's "disgusting". Pretty strong language.

It matters for a number of reasons. It matters because it means that a significant amount of arable land, water and energy are being used inefficiently. Those resources may perhaps be put to better use. The costs associated with the waste may perhaps be reduced and thus reduce overall costs associated with food, energy (eg. oil) and water. It matters because it means that a large amount of land is being used unnecessarily for storing unnecessary waste, eg. landfills, rather than being used for other productive things. The management of that unnecessary waste is something we all pay for and it's not entirely clear that we pay for all the associated externalities. It matters because those landfills pollute our world it matters because that food can, at very low cost, be used to feed people who don't have the money to engage in luxurious food-wasting.

1: Freezing veg affects the composition of it and is not the same as fresh veg. No thanks. I'd sooner throw it away and get quality stuff. If I wanted frozen I'd buy pre-packaged flash frozen rather than freeze at home.

*shrugs* It makes little difference in practice for onions and a number of staples and like I said I find it easier to have fresh greens at home because I shop often.

Once again the time - and petrol - involved in going to the supermarket every day or every other day is simply not worth it compared to spending a few pounds and getting more than enough to last. I'd rather buy too much to guarantee having enough and then throw away any excess, that is a conscious and positive choice. It is a decision made knowingly and willingly. Why is that disgusting?

On the individual level it's only a little disgusting. It's disgusting in the aggregate. However, in case you missed it, there are many components of food waste--for example unharvested crops and crops thrown away before even reaching the stores--in addition to your wasteful onion-shopping habits.

To the throwing away sub-par quality food referenced here (and above in GGT's reference about Krispy Kreme's standards): Once again - good. Quality matters. I'd rather buy good quality food than temperamental poor quality food. Standards need to be maintained. If it's not up to standard then it is better to remake and bin it than lose a customer, definitely! What's the problem? Grocery stores do as you say discount end-life products and again have such massive volume and efficiency I don't believe even 1% of their rolling stock gets wasted. Some will be.

Though I simply do not believe that it is 10%. No way.

You're making the assumption that all food thrown away is "sub-par" in any meaningful sense. What does "good quality" mean? What "standards"? The vast majority of consumers have been trained to accept--or even crave--products that are often of POOR quality wrt eg. flavour and nutritional value. The average consumer can't taste to any significant extent the difference between two-day-old bread and six-day-old bread in a controlled setting (although to be fair they might if they're the kind of people who manage to ruin their bread quickly). And before you object, it's not just bread--discerning differences in quality is not the forte of people with untrained palates and perception of quality is influenced to a great extent by packaging, information (confusion) about sell-by dates and price, various preconceived notions. These findings are robust.

I'm not passing a moral judgement here, just recognizing most of us actually make do, for the most part, with sub-par food and that's what we get in supermarkets (with substantial markups on the goodies to snare the small price-blind minority). If you've ever tasted the difference between a home-grown sun-ripened tomato and the average bland super-market tomato then you know. While some food does indeed go bad, a lot of the waste has to do with over-zealous and misguided labeling practices, consumer confusion and a widespread social acceptance of throwing away or rejecting good food eg. because it isn't perfectly smooth, round, straight, evenly coloured or some other cosmetic reason.

Re. numbers, here's one source:

http://www.ce.cmu.edu/~gdrg/readings...FoodSystem.pdf

For example:

overall loss rate for these commercial retail food storesis 5.63%. This is
misleading since other food types were not included and since there are such dramatic
difference in food type losses depending on the type of business. The percent for
each store and food type should be used.

Convenience stores have the highest percentage of food loss at 26.3%. This is
due to the fact that they “attempt to keep cooked fresh food ready at all times” and
periodically throw out cooked food. Fast Food Restaurants have the second
largest overall percent of food loss(9.6%). Full Service restaurants food losses are

As far as customers leaving stuff on their plate, that is not waste as far as the restaurant is concerned as it was sold. Only unsold products count as waste. Once again it is better to have a satisfied customer than one who thinks the portion was too small and leaves hungry and the thing about restaurants (versus cooking at home) is you don't know what portion that individual customer needs so it is a generic catch-all. I normally clear my plate while my wife will leave food on hers.

Yeah or restaurants could reduce their food bills as well as their--and everyone else's--waste management costs at the expense of a few exceptionally gluttonous customers. They have a margin of at least 15% on average to play with.

But it's interesting that you say "as far as the restaurant is concerned". It's almost as if you believe restaurants don't exist within societies, or that societies don't exist on earth so weird.

It is the home consumer that is the "worst offender" for wasting food. But why does that matter? You are starting from an assumption that food waste is heinous without even establishing the premise WHY.

See above and allow me to add one more: because it's so fricking unnecessary and stupid.

[Aimless]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leachate

Blech

[Aimless]

While blaming consumers is entirely appropriate, we must bear in mind that those who sell food both influence and are influenced by consumer behaviour.

[Veldan Rath]

Is the thread just for awareness (and discussion of course) or are you in favor of government making sure we do not waste food?

[Aimless]

Is the thread just for awareness (and discussion of course) or are you in favor of government making sure we do not waste food?

Mostly as a place to gather information about methods, technology and design that can be used to tackle problems associated with wastefulness, whether it be through prevention or through putting the waste to use. I think it's fun to read about esp. ingenious solutions to such problems increasing awareness is always nice and discussion about what the problems is probably crucial to the evaluation of purported solutions.

I dunno 'bout the govt. "making sure" but I do think that this sort of waste is one area in which the govt. has a natural and important role alongside businesses and private citizens, eg. through education campaigns, by facilitating good solutions and perhaps even by making sure all negative externalities are really paid for.

[Dreadnaught]

He makes me tingle in my giblets

(long parade of examples ca 8 mins in but whole thing is interesting)

Good watch.

"We have an enormous buffer in rich countries [between us and starvation]". Though I think his idea of cooking food for pigs would be pretty dodgy.

I think a big chunk of this is cultural -- education is key, and just as schools would benefit from curriculums with more business and finance skills, they would also benefit from more focused home education/food prep teaching. After all, what kid learns about food preparation?

I also support some local infrastructure in cities for compost-harvesting, though I think it's logistically very difficult in some areas.