Is technology the solution to food waste?

An analysis by ABN Amro shows that annually on 1,4 billion hectares of food is produced that is ultimately thrown away. Can new technologies provide a solution to food waste?

If we look at the figures in the Netherlands, it appears that 1 person wastes 264 kilos of potatoes, 680 kilos of bread and 992 kilos of dairy in his/her life. In addition, ABN Amro notes that the total food waste can feed the malnourished part of the world 4 times. "In addition, combating food waste has positive effects on the environment. Tackling the problem is quite complex, but new technologies can be the solution," he said. reports the bank.

Where do the losses come from?
In the West, food waste mainly takes place at the retailer or consumer, while in countries such as India and the Ivory Coast, the waste mainly takes place at the beginning of the chain (at the farmer). This is mainly due to the poor infrastructure in those countries, the low degree of mechanization and the lack of refrigerated transport options, the ABN Amro report reports. 

In India, about 20% to 50% of the fruit and vegetables is lost because there are not enough refrigerated trucks and storage facilities. In the ABN Amro report, a calculation from the shipping company Maersk, which states that an improvement of the logistics cold chain can significantly increase the export of. 

Small technological solutions
One thing becomes clear from the analysis, and that is that the cooling must be improved. However, there is a lack of reliable energy sources and capital in many of those countries. And that's where technology comes in, because small-scale technological solutions, which make use of alternative energy sources, can offer a solution.

According to the analysis of ABN Amro, the milk cooling solution of Promethean Power Systems an example of such a small-scale technological development, because that system works on thermal energy. Another technological solution is mentioned: the Evaptainer, which does not require energy, but runs on sun and water. There is a wide range of technological solutions at the beginning of the chain; from smarter monitoring with sensor technology to a coating for fruit to increase the shelf life.

Consumers and Retailers
Reducing food waste among consumers and retailers is a somewhat more complex task. According to ABN Amro, consumers in the Western world spend only a relatively small part of their income on food. For example, spending on food in the Netherlands has decreased by 35% in 33 years. 

Because we spend less money on food, it a Dutchman also less pain to throw away a pan of food (compared to a native from Indonesia). This is apparent from the analysis, which also shows that there are even more causes for food waste. The following arguments have been demonstrated among Dutch consumers: cooked too much (47%), stored incorrectly (30%), kept too long (61%) or bought too much (13%).

However, nowadays apps are a good way to combat food waste. There are plenty of apps (like Smart Cooking, ResQ en Discounted App) who want to fight food waste together with the consumer. There are more technological solutions that consciously choose to focus on food waste among consumers and retailers. An example of this is Wasteless, an Israeli start-up that uses dynamic pricing to discount products approaching expiration date. 

3D printing can also play a role in the fight against food waste† Oceanz, a Dutch company, is looking together with cooperative DOOR at the possibilities of printing without food waste. According to ABN Amro, many companies are also active with smart sensors in food packaging, which can indicate when the best-before date is in question.

Tech sector is in the starting blocks
As shown above, the tech sector is ready to fight food waste, but is that enough? Countries worldwide are going to fight against food waste; for example, India and Indonesia are opening their refrigerated and frozen storage facilities for foreign investors† The French government opts for a different approach. In the country, supermarkets have been banned from throwing away food since 2016. They have an obligation to donate it. As a result, the country was number 2017 in the 'Food Sustainability Index' in 1.

In the meantime, extra measures are also being taken in Italy to prevent waste. For example, they encourage their residents to use 'doggy bags'. The Dutch government is also committed to combating food waste. Minister Carola Schouten (Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality) has earmarked €4 million for the next 7 years to halve waste in the Netherlands. This money is used for innovations and information, among other things. Schouten also argues in favor of abolishing the best-before date on non-perishable products (such as rice and spring water). 

Kimberly Baker

Kimberly Bakker is an all-round editor at Boerenbusiness. She also has an eye for the social media channels of Boerenbusiness.

k.baker @boerenbusiness. Nl

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