What businesses can do to prevent food waste among consumers
Kansas City — A nationwide strategy to eliminate food waste at the consumer level, released in 2020 by the nationwide Academies Press, estimates that around one-third of the edible food produced in the United States is wasted.
“Can you picture purchasing three grocery bags, returning home, and discarding one?” inquired Barbara O. Schneeman, PhD, an emerita professor at the University of California, Davis and one of the report’s editors.
During a July 20 virtual FIRST conference hosted by the Institute of Food Technologists, she presented specifics about the report.
According to Dr. Schneeman, who chaired the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee that offered input for the Dietary Guidelines for Americans published last year, “it’s very easy to look at those numbers around food waste and then criticise consumers.” “That is not something we can accomplish. The drivers operating within the system are receiving feedback from consumers. Therefore, we need to give those drivers a lot of thought if we want to change consumer behaviour to be more in line with decreasing food waste.
It is possible for all parties involved in the food system—restaurants, food corporations, the government, and non-profits—to educate customers about cutting back on food waste.
“Whether it’s through retail, packaging, or marketing Setting, food literacy, media, and media influencers—such as chefs—can all have an impact on behaviour, according to Dr. Schneeman.
Rather of encouraging over-acquisition, or purchasing more food than people need, manufacturers, retailers, and foodservice venues should create promotions that inform customers of the ideal range and quantity of products to purchase.
Trade associations for the food sector, consumer advocacy groups, and other non-profit organisations might support the enactment of federal legislation that would standardise the wording and requirements for using date labels. Following this, they could enlighten consumers about the information found on date labels.
Additionally speaking at the event was Jay Sanghani, a technologist for global dairy applications at Ingredion, Inc., Westchester, Ill., who provided examples of how food firms may reduce food waste that occurs during the creation of a product. According to him, businesses conduct numerous trials to refine a product.
“It requires multiple attempts,” Mr. Sanghani stated. That isn’t very long-term. Many ingredients are being wasted in order to get your finished product.
Reducing the number of trials required can be achieved through the use of artificial intelligence (AI). The AI system could get feedback from formulators regarding the attributes they would want to see in a final output. He used the example of making a bean-based yoghurt substitute with a high viscosity, pleasing texture, and dairy-like flavour.
Mr. Sanghani stated, “(AI) can take those inputs and give you solutions.” “Instead of putting in multiple trials to reach the same result.”
AI may not be practical for smaller businesses and beginnings. Mr. Sanghani advised them to start by learning what has already been researched on the food product they are developing. They might avoid making the same mistakes that other food formulators have made by reading studies published in scientific publications.
“What if we conduct some more preliminary research instead of launching into trials?” stated Mr. Sanghani.
One of the greatest causes of food waste is still consumers who dislike items and discard them.
According to Mr. Sanghani, “taste is king.” “No one will eat your product if it doesn’t taste good, have good flavour, or texture.”