Food Waste

Every year, over 1 billion tons, or 10 trillion kilograms, of food are wasted worldwide. This food turns into greenhouse gases, air pollution, and damages the atmosphere, all while millions of people suffer from hunger. So, what can we do to help? Today, Rimping Supermarket wants to introduce everyone to the problem of Food Waste, in observance of Earth Day on April 22nd each year.

What is Food Waste and When Did the Problem Begin?

Food Waste refers to food that is discarded for various reasons by both producers and consumers. This includes uneaten food scraps, fruit and vegetable trimmings, as well as spoiled and expired food due to improper management by restaurants, eateries, and convenience stores. All of this is thrown into bins and taken to landfills, where it becomes food waste that harms the planet.

The problem of Food Waste has existed since ancient times due to improper management of food resources. For example, in Ancient Rome, grand feasts were often held, and large amounts of food were thrown away because they were not consumed. Meanwhile, during the Middle Ages, leftover food was common among the upper classes, as they viewed these excesses as a symbol of wealth. This indicates that at the time, they were not aware of the environmental problems that would follow.

Food Waste: An Unforeseen Environmental Threat

In the 20th century, the amount of food waste dramatically increased to an unprecedented level due to consumers' lack of awareness. This discarded food was often managed by landfilling. However, even though landfilling is a common disposal method, did you know that when large quantities of food waste are piled up and buried, they take much longer to decompose than usual? This is because the soil lacks oxygen, which is a factor in biological decomposition.

Furthermore, the decomposition of food waste also releases methane, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide gases. These gases are the main cause of 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, equivalent to greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector and four times more than global aviation emissions.

Main Causes and Understanding Expiration Dates

The primary causes of global food waste are inefficient management by various businesses and consumers' wasteful behavior. This includes inappropriate planning for food preparation and goods, discarding edible food, and a lack of understanding or confusion regarding expiration dates on product labels, such as:

Best By/Before (BB) symbol: This means the food maintains its quality and taste until the specified date. After this date, the quality and taste may change, but it can still be consumed. However, before consumption, one should evaluate the appearance, smell, and taste.
Expiry Date (EXP): This means the food should absolutely not be consumed after the specified date.
This confusion leads to many consumers discarding food that has not yet expired due to misunderstanding.

Solutions to the Problem: The Role of Organizations and Ourselves

However, in recent years, growing awareness of environmental sustainability has spurred global efforts to address food waste. Organizations, governments, and individuals are beginning to implement various strategies to reduce waste at every stage of the food system, such as:

Donating surplus food that is still of good quality through charitable organizations to those in need.
Using sub-standard but edible ingredients, such as meat, to prepare ready-to-eat meals instead of discarding them.
In addition to the business sector, we can also easily solve the Food Waste problem ourselves by, for example, observing expiration dates, storing food correctly, organizing our refrigerators, and cooking only what we can eat.