Valuing Our Food: Minimizing Waste and Optimizing Resources - The Scope of th...Steven M. Finn
The document discusses the global problem of food waste and its significance. Some key points:
- Approximately 1/3 of all food produced for human consumption globally is wasted every year, amounting to about 1.3 billion tons annually with an economic value of nearly $1 trillion.
- Food waste has direct links to issues of global hunger, as reducing food waste by just 25% could feed the 870 million undernourished people worldwide. It also has major environmental impacts in terms of wasted resources, greenhouse gas emissions, and increased pressure on land and water supplies.
- There are opportunities to make progress on eliminating global hunger and optimizing resources through a collaborative, global effort to significantly reduce food waste and
About 24 percent of all calories currently produced for human consumption are lost or wasted. This paper examines the implications of this amount of loss and waste, profiles a number of approaches for reducing it, and puts forth five recommendations for how to move forward on this issue.
Valuing our food and water resources steven m. finn - june 2014Steven M. Finn
A presentation linking three intertwined topics - food security, water security, and food recovery - with a focus on the need to change behavior and give the proper value to our food and water resources in order to successfully feed 9 billion by 2050. Doing so requires minimizing food and water waste while viewing 9Bx2050 not only as a challenge, but as an opportunity to advance critical sustainability initiatives globally.
Food waste is a serious global issue, with about 1.3 billion tonnes (a third of all food produced) wasted each year. This wasted food could feed the 870 million malnourished people globally. Most food waste occurs at the production, distribution, and consumer levels. Reducing food waste through better consumer education and behaviors, improved infrastructure for storage and transport, and recycling of waste through processes like anaerobic digestion could significantly reduce environmental impacts from food production and help address world hunger.
The world is facing a nutrition crisis : Approximately 3 Billion people from everyone of the worlds 193 countries have a low quality diets . Over the next 20 years , multiple forms of malnutrition will pose increasingly serious threats to global health. Population growth combined with climate change will place increasing stress on the food systems , particularly in Africa and Asia where there will be an additional two billion people in 2050 . At the same time rapidly increasing urbanisation,particularly in these two regions,will affect hunger and nutrition in complex ways - Both Positively and Negatively
Priorities for Public Sector Research on Food Security and Climate Change, Review 2, Melinda Sundell, Stockholm Environment Institute. Presented at the Food Security Futures Conference in Dublin, Ireland on 12 April 2013.
This document discusses plants and animals as natural resources. It notes that plants and animals are important for food, materials, fuel, air quality, and as habitat. However, both face threats from habitat loss, climate change, invasive species, soil erosion, and pollution. A graph shows the increasing percentage of threatened species between 2000-2011. Plants and animals are interrelated through food chains and shared habitats, so environmental issues affect both. Their decline jeopardizes sustainability as humans rely on both for survival.
This document discusses environmental issues related to food and land resources. It covers the main sources of food including agricultural crops and domesticated animals. It then discusses global food problems such as undernourishment and malnutrition. Traditional agriculture can impact the environment through deforestation and soil erosion while modern agriculture causes issues like nutrient imbalance, nitrate pollution, pesticide impacts, water logging, and salinity problems. Land is a finite resource that is used for agriculture, housing, industry, waste disposal and other purposes. The pattern of land use varies globally and within India.
This document proposes developing a Sustainable Food Index to evaluate different foods and food production systems based on principles of sustainability. It discusses 10 proposed principles for sustainable food production and consumption modeled after hunter-gatherer practices, including preferences for indigenous, wild, organic, local, and seasonal whole foods. An example application to Driscoll's organic raspberries assigns a score out of 10 based on how well the food aligns with each principle. While providing a framework, the index approach also raises questions around definitions, composite foods, transportation impacts, and economic and population considerations.
The way we eat has a massive impact on the planet. Food production as A huge scale cause many problem to environment and ecosystem, that changing what we consume really can help cut greenhouse gas emissions and limit damage to vulnerable species and environments.
Food security,Management of Food security science book
Climate refers to long term weather patterns measured over many years, including seasonal changes. Climate change is a slow, gradual change in weather that is caused by human activities like burning fossil fuels and deforestation. These activities release greenhouse gases that change the atmosphere. Climate change affects global systems like food production by impacting temperature, precipitation, glacial melting, and extreme weather events. Changes in climate can decrease crop yields and threaten food security by reducing the overall quantity of food available.
The document outlines the changes made to the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) through a reform process. Key changes include:
1) Fifteen new CGIAR Research Programs were established to conduct integrated research across core competencies and form appropriate partnerships to achieve four system-level outcomes: reduction in poverty, increased global food security, improved nutrition, and better natural resource management.
2) A leaner structure was implemented with the Consortium providing a single contact point for donors and overseeing fifteen research centers and programs. A CGIAR Fund was also established as a new multi-donor funding mechanism.
3) The goals of CGIAR's research are now defined as four system-level
This document discusses the problem of food waste in America. It finds that 40% of food in the US goes uneaten each year, costing the average family of four between $1,350-2,275 annually. Food waste has negative environmental impacts as it squanders resources used in food production like land, water and oil. The document examines reasons for food waste at the consumer level in America, such as oversized portions, availability of cheap food, and marketing of deals that encourage overbuying. It suggests consumers have the power to reduce waste but must shift attitudes around valuing food more.
This 22nd May, 2019 as we commemorate the International Day for Biodiversity with the theme: Our Biodiversity, Our Food, Our Health, the focal point is on how biodiversity acts as a basis for transforming food systems and improving health and well-being. The theme also aims to leverage the opportunity in knowledge transfer, spreading awareness about the dependency on our food systems for nutrition, health and sustainability.
Achieving optimal nutrition - the critical role of food systems and dietsAlain Vidal
Conference given by Jessica Fanzo at University Paris-Saclay / AgroParisTech on 11 January 2018 as part of Master CLUES (week on Natural resources, food security and poverty alleviation)
Food policy - EU Climate Change and the impact Dietary Choice Feb 2016New Food Innovation Ltd
This review by the respected experts of Chalmers University , Sweden shows the dramatic changes in consumer diets required to offset the GHG production created by the Livestock and Dairy industry
Clinical Question: Does meat consumption affect mortality?
Evidence: All-cause mortality is higher for increased daily consumption of red meat, especially processed meat. However, the compiled evidence does not link other meat products to all-cause mortality.
Recommendation: Physicians should encourage patients to limit animal products when possible, and substitute red meat and processed red meat with plant-based foods. Patients may supplement a plant-based diet with moderate amounts of fish, poultry, eggs, and dairy if desired.
This literature review summarizes research on the UK public's views about food futures. Key findings include:
1) The public shows little awareness of terms like "global food security" and the impending challenges facing the food system. While population growth is a familiar issue, the unsustainability of the current system and need for change are new concepts.
2) People have an immediate, short-term relationship with food rather than thinking about global issues. Their food choices are most influenced by price, quality, and taste over health or environmental concerns.
3) Certain groups have more constrained choices, such as those on low incomes experiencing food insecurity or dietary restrictions. Talk of "food choice" may be inaccurate or
Many children today are growing up in an obesogenic environment that encourages weight gain and obesity .
Energy imbalance has resulted from changes in food type, availability, affordability and marketing , as well as a decline in physical activity with more time being spent on screen based and sedentary leisure activity .
The Importance of Reducing Animal product consumption - Meat and dairy productsNew Food Innovation Ltd
This document summarizes key findings from scientific literature on the importance of reducing animal product consumption and wasted food to mitigate catastrophic climate change. The main points are:
1) If global meat and dairy intake trends continue, the goal of limiting global warming to 2°C will likely be exceeded, even with emissions reductions in other sectors.
2) Immediate and substantial reductions in wasted food, meat and dairy intake, especially ruminant meat, are needed to adequately mitigate climate change.
3) National climate plans have not adequately represented the urgency of addressing diet, agriculture and wasted food to meet emissions targets for limiting warming to 2°C.
Working Papers contain preliminary research, analysis, ndings, and recommendations. They are circulated to stimulate timely discussion and critical feedback, and to in uence ongoing debate on emerging issues. Working papers may eventually be published in another form and their content may be revised.How can shifting diets—the type, combination, and quantity of foods people consume—contribute to a sustainable food future? Building on the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) food demand projections, we estimate that the world needs to close a 70 percent “food gap” between the crop calories available in 2006 and expected calorie demand in 2050.
The food gap stems primarily from population growth and changing diets. The global population is projected to grow to nearly 10 billion people by 2050, with two-thirds of those people projected to live in cities. In addition,
at least 3 billion people are expected to join the global middle class by 2030. As nations urbanize and citizens become wealthier, people generally increase their calorie intake and the share of resource-intensive foods—such
as meats and dairy—in their diets. At the same time, technological advances, business and economic changes, and government policies are transforming entire food chains, from farm to fork. Multinational businesses are increasingly in uencing what is grown and what people eat. Together, these trends are driving a convergence toward Western-style diets, which are high in calories, protein, and animal-based foods. Although some of this shift re ects health and welfare gains for many people, the scale of this convergence in diets will make it harder for the world to achieve several of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including those on hunger, healthy lives, water management, climate change, and terrestrial ecosystems.
This document discusses the importance of sustainable food systems for nutrition and food security. It makes three key points: 1) Good nutrition depends on healthy diets, 2) Healthy diets require healthy food systems as well as other supporting factors, and 3) Healthy food systems are made possible through appropriate policies, incentives, and governance. It provides examples from Vietnam, India, and Ethiopia of integrated approaches that have positively impacted nutrition by improving agricultural production and access to nutritious foods.
Running Head OBJECTIVE REPORTObjective Report on Food Was.docxtoltonkendal
Running Head: OBJECTIVE REPORT
Objective Report on Food Wastage
Over 1800 years ago, a proverb from a Chinese wise man specified that “food is a basic requirement to man” (Kevin et al. 3). Years later, providing adequate food to feed the growing global population of over 7.5 billion people remains a major challenge. The current statistics reveal that one in eight people lack adequate food to promote a healthy life (Kevil et al. 5). This problem is expected to worsen as the world’s population approaches 10 billion by 2050. Thus, alongside the growing food problem are the extensively debated issues of climate change and environmental degradation. According to Kevil et al., food wastage is the leading factor that contributes to greenhouse gases (3). The degradation releases carbon dioxide that is a common environmental concern (Kevil et al. 3). In spite of these problems, most families in America are wasting more food than they consume.
Every day, the average food wastage in a typical American family amounts to nearly a pound. There is a growing concern that nearly half of the food bought ends up in the waste. Within a year, this wastage is comparable to tossing over 400 million barrels into trash cans (Cuellar et al. 6461). Annually, there is a loss of nearly 3 percent of the total energy through food wastage. These statistics prove that food wastage is a contentious habit that cannot fade unnoticed in American society. People in this country and across the world are dying due to starvation (Reich & Foley 4). Every dollar counts in today’s volatile global economy and any action that constitutes to wastage should be carefully examined and remedied. After the resolution of this problem, America could end up saving more than 3 % of the total energy every year (Cuellar et al. 6461). Nevertheless, there is a growing concern that despite the growing debate around food wastage, hardly any intervention has been adopted and implemented at the family and community level.
Food wastage is a trend that could lead to untenable demand for natural resources. Parfitt et al. project that under the existing trends of food wastage, the global food demand could increase by nearly 80 percent by 2050 (1). Such an outcome is a major cause of concern for the future generations, which will have increased their financial allocation on food while leaving other needs unsatisfied (Parfitt et a 1). Ganders shares this insight by maintaining that the food wastages and loss are costly because it represents a missed opportunity to feed the increasing global population and comes with an unbearable environmental price (4). For years, researchers have underscored the significance of improving the food supply chain efficiency. Among these researchers is Ganders, who has recommended for change in the consumption behavior as a way of reducing the food wastage (3). However, as the global society continues to ignore the recommendations made by environmentalists and economists ...
Food waste occurs at all stages of production and consumption worldwide. As much as half of all food is wasted globally according to some estimates. In developed countries, over 100 kg of food per person per year is wasted at the consumption stage. Food waste has negative environmental impacts, requiring vast amounts of land, water and fuel to produce uneaten food. Reducing food waste through better planning, donation of excess food, and composting could help address world hunger and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
Find Latest India News and Breaking News these days from India on Politics, Business, Entertainment, Technology, Sports, Lifestyle and Coronavirus News in India and the world over that you can't miss. For real time update Visit our social media handle. Read First India NewsPaper in your morning replace. Visit First India.
CLICK:- https://firstindia.co.in/
#First_India_NewsPaper
Food planet health Fabrice DeClerck CLUES 2020Alain Vidal
The document discusses a report from the EAT-Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems. It outlines the commission's goal of achieving healthy diets for nearly 10 billion people by 2050 through 1 goal, 2 targets, and 5 strategies. The targets are defined as healthy reference diets and planetary boundaries for environmental systems. Modeling was used to analyze measures to stay within boundaries while delivering healthy diets.
The document discusses the impact of human diet on sustainability. It argues that an optimal diet from a sustainability perspective is locally grown, organic, and plant-based. Such a diet reduces carbon footprint and environmental impact while supporting health and local economies. It notes the large role agriculture plays in economies and environmental issues like greenhouse gas emissions. Industrial agriculture relies on monocultures and heavy use of chemicals, while organic farming is better for the environment, soil health, and nutrition. Choosing local, organic, whole foods and cooking at home can significantly improve health and sustainability.
Half of all food produced worldwide is wasted, amounting to 1.3 billion tonnes of waste each year. In India specifically, up to 40% of food produced is wasted, costing Rs. 50,000 crore annually. Food waste has negative environmental and economic impacts such as using resources like water and land to produce uneaten food. Solutions to reduce waste include shopping smarter, using food before it expires, donating or composting surplus, and raising awareness of the issue.
This document discusses solutions for sustainably feeding over 9 billion people by 2050. It notes that reducing food loss and waste could close around 22% of the "food gap." Specifically, cutting the rate of food loss and waste in half by 2050 could reduce needed calorie production increases. Shifting diets towards healthier, more efficient options like plant-based proteins and achieving replacement level fertility worldwide also feature prominently in the sustainable food future solutions discussed. Achieving replacement level fertility, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa, could significantly reduce projected population growth.
IB Extended Essay: Comparison of the Effects of Vegan and Meat Inclusive Diet...Laurel Ayuyao
This document is a 3,552 word extended essay that investigates the differing effects of vegan and omnivorous diets on pollution. The essay begins with an abstract and introduction describing the motivation and research question. It then outlines the methods used, which involved analyzing secondary sources from books, websites, and journals. The main body of the essay discusses the key findings. It concludes that while both diets impact the environment, an omnivorous diet that includes meat production has significantly greater negative effects through higher greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution from animal waste, and soil erosion from cattle farming. Overall, the essay determines that a vegan diet creates less pollution than an omnivorous diet.
Future of food - An initial perspective by Prof. Wayne Bryden, Foundation C...Future Agenda
An initial perspective on the future of food by Prof. Wayne Bryden, Foundation Chair in Animal Science at the University of Queensland. This is the starting point for the global future agenda discussions taking place through 2015 as part of the futureagenda2.0 programme. www.futureagenda.org
This document discusses food waste in the United States from farm to fork to landfill. It finds that 40% of food produced in the US goes uneaten, amounting to over 20 pounds of food wasted per person each month, costing $165 billion annually. Reducing food waste by just 15% could feed over 25 million Americans. The document examines inefficiencies at each stage of the food supply chain and provides recommendations for businesses, governments, and consumers to help reduce waste, including improving efficiency, setting national waste reduction goals, and changing consumer behaviors.
An extract from a 2012 USA report on food waste
Increasing the efficiency of our food system is a triple- bottom-line solution that requires collaborative efforts by businesses, governments and consumers. The U.S. government should conduct a comprehensive study of losses in our food system and set national goals for waste reduction; businesses should seize opportunities to streamline their own operations, reduce food losses and save money; and consumers can waste less food by shopping wisely, knowing when food goes bad, buying produce that is perfectly edible even if it’s less cosmetically attractive, cooking only the amount of food they need, and eating their leftovers.
Half of all food produced worldwide is wasted, amounting to 1.3 billion tonnes of waste annually. This wasted food uses 250 cubic km of water and 1.4 billion hectares of land each year. In India specifically, up to 40% of food produced is wasted, amounting to Rs. 50,000 crore worth of waste annually. Food waste has negative environmental and economic impacts such as increased hunger, water usage, land degradation, and greenhouse gas emissions. Solutions to reduce food waste include optimizing redistribution systems, converting waste to animal feed or energy, home meal planning, and raising awareness of the issue.
An overview of the scale of the problem of food waste around the world and also the problem of hunger and what can be done or what is being done to solve this problem.Various organizations working on this problem is also discussed.certain guidelines are also provided which can be followed by an individual to reduce food waste.
Food waste is a major, highly visible global problem. It has recently attracted much attention in the world and has become a priority in the global political agenda. Food waste occurs at different stages of a food value chain, including agriculture, post harvest, processing, distribution, retail, and consumption. Regardless of the causes, we can all pitch in to combat the global challenge and turn waste into worth. This paper provides an introduction on global food waste. Matthew N. O. Sadiku | Tolulope J. Ashaolu | Sarhan M. Musa "Global Food Waste: A Primer" Published in International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456-6470, Volume-4 | Issue-1 , December 2019, URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd29485.pdfPaper URL: https://www.ijtsrd.com/home-science/food-science/29485/global-food-waste-a-primer/matthew-n-o-sadiku
Food is life and the global food sustainability is essential to human being survival. The global food system is highly
complex and is driven by various factors including environment, cultural, social and economic drive. It is vital to understand
these drivers and their interaction in order to help to improve the public food sustainability policies. Global polices and projects
desperately required in order improving the global food sustainability. Food sustainability is one of the unsolved global issues
and great commitment is required starting from global policy makers, national governments, and every individual home. This
research paper includes analysis and study of various elements such as global change science, policy, food crisis, factor affecting
and challenging food security, data on status and future projection and potential ways of solving problems. The goal of food
sustainability is to enable all people throughout the world to satisfy their basic needs and have a reasonable quality of life without
compromising the quality of life of future generations. Agriculture sustainability is the best solution which can feed the world
without compromising the environment or threatening human health. Scientific evidence that global environment has changed
is overwhelming and indisputable. These phenomena have a direct impact on agriculture which in turn affects food
sustainability. The food price is always toward upward trend which is validated by the periodic average global food price
monitoring report released by the Food and agricultural organizations. The factors affecting and challenging the food security
are many including increased food consumption due to population increase, uneven distribution, changes in living styles, limited
resources, environmental problems, economic problems and others. The potential ways to solve food sustainability need to be
established and implemented effectively across the world.
I sette principi per un’agricoltura sostenibile descritti nel rapporto di Greenpeace sono:
1. restituire il controllo sulla filiera alimentare a chi produce e chi consuma, strappandolo alle multinazionali dell’agrochimica;
2. sovranità alimentare. L'agricoltura sostenibile contribuisce allo sviluppo rurale e alla lotta contro la fame e la povertà, garantendo alle comunità rurali la disponibilità di alimenti sani, sicuri ed economicamente sostenibili;
3. produrre e consumare meglio: è possibile già oggi, senza impattare sull’ambiente e la salute, garantire sicurezza alimentare e, contemporaneamente, lottare contro gli sprechi alimentari. Occorre diminuire il nostro consumo di carne e minimizzare il consumo di suolo
per la produzione di agro-energia. Dobbiamo anche riuscire ad aumentare le rese dove è necessario, ma con pratiche sostenibili;
4. incoraggiare la (bio)diversità lungo tutta la filiera, dal seme al piatto con interventi a tutto campo, dalla produzione sementiera all’educazione al consumo;
5. proteggere e aumentare la fertilità del suolo, promuovendo le pratiche colturali idonee ed eliminando quelle che invece consumano o avvelenano il suolo stesso;
6. consentire agli agricoltori di tenere sotto controllo parassiti e piante infestanti, affermando e promuovendo quelle pratiche (già esistenti) che garantiscono protezione e rese senza l'impiego di costosi pesticidi chimici che possono danneggiare il suolo, l'acqua,
gli ecosistemi e la salute di agricoltori e consumatori;
7. rafforzare la nostra agricoltura, perché si adatti in maniera efficace il sistema di produzione del cibo in un contesto di cambiamenti climatici e di instabilità economica.
Per contribuire alla crescita dell’agricoltura sostenibile, Greenpeace collabora con agricoltori e comunità rurali.
Similar to Food loss and waste in the USA : The science behind the supply chain (20)
- Most Americans eat vegetables, grains, dairy, and fruit more frequently than meat like beef and pork. About half eat vegetables, grains, and dairy almost daily.
- Americans most commonly eat home-cooked dinners prepared by themselves or their household 2-5 times per week or daily. Fast food and restaurant dinners are less frequent.
- Plant-based meat and dairy alternatives are eaten infrequently, with most Americans saying they never or almost never consume tofu, plant-based meat, or dairy alternatives.
- Recent surveys show an increase in meat-free diets like vegetarianism and veganism in the UK, especially among younger people, driven by health and ethical concerns. However, total meat and fish purchases still increased in 2018 compared to 2017.
- Estimates of vegetarians range from 1.5-3% of the UK population and vegans from 0.5-3%, but definitions and survey methods vary. More consistent is increased interest in reducing meat reported by 12-34% of people surveyed.
- While meat-free diets are growing, the reasons like health and ethics are enduring, so changes may persist long-term rather than being a short-term trend. The food industry
This document summarizes key insights from a market research report on Australian consumer attitudes toward meat consumption and interest in plant-based meat alternatives. Some of the main findings include: 1) Around 20% of Australians are consciously limiting their meat intake, with health cited as the top reason. 2) Interest in plant-based meat alternatives is growing, with 6 in 10 Australians interested in trying new products. 3) While demand is increasing, concerns around taste, nutrition and price remain barriers to trial among some. The report provides regional and generational breakdowns on dietary preferences and perceptions of plant-based meats.
From plant-based beef to chicken grown from cells, alternatives to conventional meat are attracting considerable innovation and investment worldwide.
These new foods have everyone from vegans to meat corporations excited, but what does this global trend mean for Australian business, agriculture and science?
The Foodservice business in the UK accepting the Sustainable Restaurant association challenge to implement and achieve the targets outlined in this report : To reduce the meals they serve by reducing the volume of meat on the menu, food in the bin and single use plastic and packaging in their operations
This document discusses the growing popularity and demand for plant-based proteins. Some key points:
- Plant proteins like soy, peas, and pulses are seen as healthy by 73% of consumers and can replace animal proteins in foods.
- The global plant protein market was valued at $5.978 billion in 2017 and is expected to grow 7.1% annually through 2023. Pea protein use is booming in particular.
- Pea protein is appealing to manufacturers because peas are not a major food allergen and have vegan appeal. Cargill has partnered with pea protein producer PURIS to increase their pea protein offerings.
- Plant proteins provide health, environmental, and
Healthy Diets From Sustainable Food Systems
Without action, the world risks failing to meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement, and today’s children will inherit a planet that has been severely degraded and where much of the population will increasingly suffer from malnutrition and preventable disease.
This document analyzes consumer drivers in the plant-based food market. It identifies two main target groups - impulsive comfort shoppers and value conscious shoppers. Impulsive comfort shoppers, comprising 15% of consumers, are young and career-minded. They prioritize status and convenience. Value conscious shoppers make up 31% and favor plant-based options over meat. They are health-conscious, educated, and environmentally aware. The document recommends tailored messaging and communication strategies to appeal to each group's priorities and motivations.
Seperation Technologies and Design of Complex Food Systems
September 12th -14th 2018 : Sponsored by the Research Foundation for Dairy Sciences Technical University of Munich @UlrichKolozik
Taste sensors imitate this taste reception mechanism through artificial lipid membranes reacting to taste molecules similarly than the tongue, allowing them to sense “taste
In order to match a market leader product, product development can be achieved through formulation of coffee blends. The Insent TS-5000Z Electronic Tongue was used to evaluate the taste profile of a target product as well as cheaper roast coffees with various origins and taste profiles.
Brief summary of the Junior consultants initiative, a well established program for internships in the UK . Providing opportunities for European and International students doing Food Science and Engineers studies, whilst supporting Uk food industry solve technical and innovation challenges
This document discusses the growing market opportunities and risks associated with alternative proteins as consumer demand shifts away from conventional animal proteins. It notes that global meat consumption is projected to increase 13% in the next decade, exacerbating environmental and social impacts. However, plant-based foods sales are rising as millennials adopt flexitarian diets. The four main drivers of protein diversification outlined are: 1) growing market opportunity for plant-based foods, 2) innovation in food technology, 3) increasing awareness of environmental and social governance impacts of intensive livestock production, and 4) advocacy and regulation to moderate animal protein growth. The document examines these shifts and their implications for food companies and investors.
FODMAPS, Put simply, FODMAPs are a collection of short-chain carbohydrates (sugars) that aren’t absorbed properly in the gut, which can trigger symptoms in people with IBS. FODMAPs are found naturally in many foods and food additives.
Quote from the Introduction from the Global Nutrition report
"This year’s Global Nutrition Report focuses on the interdependence of the SDGs, and how progress against one goal generates progress for all. Nowhere are these linkages more evident than in the food agenda. As the producers, manufacturers and retailers of most of the world’s food, business has a responsibility to help drive the food system transformation. As a progressive food company, we are
committed to helping redesign our global food and agriculture system, to give everyone access to healthy and nutritious food and diets and thereby create a brighter future for all.
This investigation implicated raw flour as a source of an outbreak of STEC infections. Although it is low-moisture food, raw flour can be a vehicle of foodborne pathogens
This report analyzes pathways to lower meat consumption in order to mitigate climate change. It finds that livestock production accounts for 14.5% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Through a 12-country survey and focus groups in Brazil, China, the UK and US, it examines public understanding of the link between meat consumption and climate change. It identifies several policy options to guide sustainable reductions in meat intake, emphasizing the need for a coordinated global effort.
The African Union in 2014 is a commitment from countries across Africa to ending hunger in the continent by 2025. Along with the other goals dealing with growth, public investment, nutrition, gender, trade, climate smart agriculture, youth and employment,
Transform Our Food Systems to Transform Our World
> Promote innovative approaches that are people-centered, eco- nomically viable, and sustainable to make farming part of the solution to climate change.
A vegetarian diet can offer several health, environmental, and ethical benefits:
1. **Health Benefits**:
- **Nutrient-Rich**: Rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants from fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, and seeds.
- **Lower Risk of Chronic Diseases**: Associated with reduced risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers.
- **Weight Management**: Often lower in calories and fat, which can help with weight control.
- **Digestive Health**: High fiber intake promotes healthy digestion and prevents constipation.
2. **Environmental Benefits**:
- **Reduced Carbon Footprint**: Plant-based diets generally produce fewer greenhouse gases compared to meat-based diets.
- **Conservation of Resources**: Less water and land are required for growing plants than for raising animals for meat.
- **Biodiversity**: Reduced demand for animal agriculture can help pres
A vegetarian diet can have a significant impact on reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) due to several factors:
1. **Lower Cholesterol Levels**: Vegetarian diets tend to be lower in saturated fats and cholesterol, which are found in animal products. This can help reduce LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, a major risk factor for CVD.
2. **Rich in Antioxidants**: Fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants like vitamins C and E, which can help prevent oxidative stress and inflammation, both of which are linked to heart disease.
3. **High Fiber Intake**: A vegetarian diet is typically high in dietary fiber from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and legumes. Fiber helps lower cholesterol levels, improve blood sugar control, and promote a healthy weight, all of which are beneficial for heart health.
4. **Lower Blood Pressure**: Studies have shown that vegetarians often have lower blood pressure compared to non-vegetarians. This is partly due to a higher intake of potassium-rich foods like fruits and vegetables, which help regulate blood pressure.
5. **Reduced Inflammation**: Plant-based diets can reduce inflammation in the body, which is a key factor in the development of atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and other cardiovascular conditions.
6. **Weight Management**: Vegetarian diets are often lower in calories and fat, which can help maintain a healthy weight. Obesity is a major risk factor for CVD, so weight management is crucial for heart health.
7. **Improved Blood Lipid Profiles**: Vegetarian diets can improve the overall lipid profile, including lowering total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides, while increasing HDL (good) cholesterol.
8. **Beneficial Phytochemicals**: Plant-based foods contain various phytochemicals, such as flavonoids and carotenoids, which have been shown to have heart-protective effects.
Research supports the idea that a well-planned vegetarian diet can be a powerful tool in preventing and managing cardiovascular disease, contributing to overll heart health and longevity
Food loss and waste in the USA : The science behind the supply chain
1. foodpolicy.umn.edu | The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer.
The Food Policy Research Center, University of Minnesota, is supported by the National Institute on Food and Agriculture, USDA.
BRIEFISSUE
Date: April 2014
Food Loss and Waste in the US: The Science Behind the Supply Chain
Authors: Alexander H. Reich and Jonathan A. Foley, Institute on the Environment, University of Minnesota.
Multidisciplinary Review Team and References available on the FPRC Website.
Accompanying YouTube Video: "Love Letter to Food" - http://youtu.be/-5i-dCv7O8o
Summary of Findings:
Roughly 40% of the United States (US) food supply (1500 calories/person/day) is never eaten,which is among the
highest rates of food lossi
globally. Addressing this loss could help reduce food insecurity and the environmental
impacts of agriculture.
Tremendous resources are used to produce uneaten food in the US: 30% of fertilizer, 31% of cropland, 25% of total
freshwater consumption, and 2% of total energy consumption.
Food waste generated when people discard food in homes and foodservice accounts for 60% of food loss, is mostly
avoidable, and is under-emphasized as an opportunity to improve the food system.
Targeting efforts on reducing waste of meat has great potential to benefit both the environment and the household
budget.
Clarifying the meaning of date labels on foods could also reduce consumer food waste.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Background
Roughly 40% of the United States (US) food supply is never eaten. At 1500 food calories lost per person per day, that is
twice as much as most other industrialized nations and 50% more than was lost in the 1970s. Producing food uses
resources and causes environmental impacts, such as water pollution, soil erosion, and greenhouse gas emissions.
Discarding food drains the food supply in a world with a growing
demand. Despite the global importance of food loss, much remains
unknown about its extent, characteristics, and causes. For instance, a
landmark global study reports collectively for the US, Canada, Australia,
and New Zealand: 17% of food loss occurs during harvest, 6% in
handling and storage, 9% in processing, 7% in retail and distribution, and
61% in the consumption stage. The most comprehensive US study
reports only retail and consumption losses (Table 1) and treats
restaurants and households as the same entity. Food loss in the
distribution, retail and consumption stages is called food wastei
and
presents a major opportunity to improve the efficiency of the food
system.
Producing uneaten food requires a major investment of resources: 30% of fertilizer use, 31% of cropland, 25% of total
freshwater consumption, and 2% of total energy consumption. This food loss is the largest component of municipal solid
i
Definitions of food loss and waste vary. Food loss tends to refer to a decrease in mass or nutritional quality of food
originally intended for human consumption, and includes food waste, the food fit for human consumption that is discarded
or spoils in retail, foodservice, and consumption.
Table 1. Annual rates and values (per capita)
of combined retail and consumer food loss
Added sweeteners 41% $21
Added fats and oils 38% $43
Dairy 31% $87
Grains 31% $36
Vegetables 30% $97
Fruit 29% $64
Eggs 28% $10
Meat, poultry, and fish 26% $157
Tree nuts and peanuts 15% $7
2. foodpolicy.umn.edu | The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer.
waste incinerated or sent to landfills, where it creates methane. Meat has among the lowest rates of loss (Table 1), but on a
per pound basis, meat loss squanders the most calories and causes the greatest environmental impact, as feed and other
resources used over the lifetime of the animals increase the magnitude of the loss. Loss of meat also has the highest
monetary value (Table 1).
Reducing food loss would likely reduce food prices, and presents opportunities to directly alleviate food insecurity through
redistribution. If 30% of US food loss were redistributed, it could provide the total diet for nearly 50 million people, the
number of Americans living in food insecure households. However, even though a majority of food loss is avoidable,
current distribution streams and income factors mean only some food could be recovered and reach food insecure
populations.
Causes of Food Loss and Waste
Food loss occurs because food is perishable; it passes through complex supply chains between harvest and consumption;
and it represents a small portion of total expenditures for many Americans. Thus, the convenience of wasting food often
outweighs the cost.
Food loss and waste have many causes, including:
Overplanting of crops to guarantee supply
Edible crops left in the field due to diminishing returns on investments in harvesting
Damage, contamination, or inefficiencies in harvest, storage, processing, and distribution
High cosmetic standards leading to culling of visually imperfect products
Overstocked product displays at stores
Inconsistent date labels that confuse consumers, leading to premature disposal
Over-preparation, large portion sizes, and aversion to eating leftovers
Lack of awareness about the occurrence and impacts of food waste
Initiatives to Reduce Food Loss and Waste
In June 2013 the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched
the US Food Waste Challenge, a joint effort of producer groups, processors, distributors, retailers, food service, and
government with the goal of leading “a fundamental shift in how we think about and manage food and food waste in this
country.” The EPA also runs a Food Recovery Challenge to help businesses and organizations measure and reduce their
food loss. Organizations working to reduce food waste include the food industry’s Food Waste Reduction Alliance, hunger
alleviation groups, and environmental non-governmental organizations (NGOs) like World Resources Institute, which is
leading an effort to develop a global standard for measuring food loss and waste. This work should be complemented with
further US-focused research, as much remains unknown about US food loss, especially regarding the relative importance of
the causes of food waste.
Recommended Actions
Standardize and clarify date labels on foods to help reduce consumer food waste.
Target efforts on reducing waste of meat, which would benefit the environment and household budgets.
Institute a national research program to identify the quantity and causes of food loss and waste as a step towards
committing to reduction targets.
Create public awareness campaigns devoted to reducing consumer food waste. A United Kingdom campaign helped
reduce household food waste by 19% from 2007 to 2012.