Solution For Food Waste
According to the Department of Agriculture, they estimate annual food wastes to be about 30-40 percent of the food supply. This statistic results in the estimated dumping of 133 billion pounds of food. That shows how prevalent this issue is, cutting across the chain of distribution in varying proportions. Undoubtedly, that leads to much-undesired loss, but it’s more common than people know.
The Impact of This Issue
Unquestionably, a problem of this magnitude will have various impacts on society. Though it may not affect each person individually, it leads to a tremendous economic loss for many. That includes the farmers or producers, retailers, and some families. By now, you should know that many resources go into food production, including money and labor.
Imagine then if a certain amount of each person’s work ends up wasted. You see that it isn’t a pretty picture to paint, hence the need for lasting solutions. Beyond the economic impact, it prevents the availability of foods to specific communities. Thus, working with the Environmental Protection Agency, the USDA aims to decrease food waste by 50 percent by 2030.
Reasons for Food Wastage
There are numerous reasons why this issue is prevalent today, and one of them is spoilage. It’s a broad cause because it isn’t limited to one stage of food production or transportation. Mostly, things like bacteria and mold result in a large amount of ruin. Nevertheless, there’s also the possibility of damage by pests like rodents and insects, especially in the face of inadequate storage.
Besides the distribution process, there are also consumer or household contributions to food wastage. They include buying or cooking more than they can consume per time. That’s because many people store leftovers, but it gets thrown out for some, especially after a few days. To them, it may seem harmless, but it contributes to overall economic loss.
Contributing Factors to Food Waste
Beyond the reasons as mentioned earlier for food wastage, there are contributing factors to them which we’ll discuss. The most popular one is the absence of adequate storage systems or facilities. That especially applies to easily perishable foods because they require stricter storage conditions. It may result from the malfunction of any of the equipment used.
Another factor is the inadequacy of specific processes like drying. Since they are part of what preserves the integrity of the product, it may foster damage. Also, producing more than there’s a demand can take its toll, though it’s rarely the case. It means there’ll be more of the food products than that for which there’s a need. However, another aspect of it is over-ordering by retailers.
