Food Waste and Upcycled Food. What has been done?
Food waste is a major global challenge that has far-reaching social, economic, and environmental implications. According to the United Nations, around one-third of all food produced globally is wasted each year, resulting in 1.3 billion tons of food waste. This issue is complex and requires a multi-faceted approach that involves both individual behavior changes and systemic solutions. One such solution is the food waste market, a rapidly growing industry that seeks to reduce food waste and create value from food that would otherwise be discarded.
What is Food waste?
The term "wasted food" refers to any food that is not used for its intended purpose and must be "managed."
Wasted food comes from a wide variety of sources:
Unsold food from local markets or other retail outlets such as produce food
Plate waste from restaurants
Prepared, but uneaten food
Food scraps from food preparation, and by-products of food and beverage processing
How about Food Loss?
It's worth noting that there is a difference between "food loss" and "food waste."
Food loss is typically driven by infrastructure limitations, climate and environmental factors as well as quality, aesthetic or safety standards. Food loss most often occurs at the production, post-harvest, and processing stages of the food chain.
Food waste refers to edible food intended for human consumption that is instead discarded or expires. This includes food that was spoiled prior to disposal and food that was still edible when thrown away. Food waste as defined here is more directly linked with consumer behavior.
Food waste market is booming
Rich countries waste the most, as do industrialized countries – who often have a significant impact on this food loss and waste.
The food waste market size is projected to grow significantly over the next few years. The global food waste management market was valued at $31.4 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach $44.7 billion by 2025, growing at a CAGR of 7.3% during the forecast period. The increasing demand for food waste management solutions, coupled with the rising awareness of food waste reduction, is driving the growth of this market.
Upcycled Food - A Great Idea to leverage Circular Economy.
Upcycled food is a term used to describe food products that are made from ingredients that would otherwise be wasted or discarded. These ingredients are transformed into new, nutritious, and delicious products, reducing food waste and creating a more sustainable food system.
Upcycled food products can come in many forms, including snacks, baked goods, condiments, and beverages. Some examples of upcycled food products include:
ReGrained SuperGrain+ Bars - These bars are made from upcycled barley grain that is leftover from the beer-making process. The bars come in a variety of flavors, including chocolate coffee stout and honey cinnamon IPA.
Sir Kensington's Fabanaise - This vegan mayo is made from upcycled aquafaba, which is the liquid leftover from cooking chickpeas. The aquafaba is whipped into a creamy, egg-free mayo that is perfect for sandwiches and dips.
Renewal Mill Okara Chocolate Chip Cookies - Okara is a byproduct of soy milk production, and Renewal Mill uses it to create a gluten-free flour that is used in their chocolate chip cookies. The result is a delicious, sustainable snack that reduces food waste.
Rise Products Crackers - These crackers are made from upcycled spent barley grain and spent brewer's yeast. The crackers come in a variety of flavors, including sea salt, rosemary, and garlic.
Toast Ale Beer - Toast Ale is a beer company that uses upcycled bread to create their beer. The bread is sourced from local bakeries and turned into a delicious, sustainable beer that is perfect for any occasion.
Overall, upcycled food products are an innovative and sustainable way to reduce food waste and create new, delicious products. By using ingredients that would otherwise be discarded, upcycled food companies are helping to build a more sustainable food system that benefits everyone. The food waste market, along with individual behavior changes and systemic solutions, has the potential to address the global challenge of food waste and create a more sustainable future.
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