The United Nations General Assembly has designated 29th September as the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste (IDAFLW). Entering its fifth year of recognition, the day aims to trigger collective action to meet the Sustainable Development Goal Target 12.3 of halving global food waste at the retail and consumer level by 2030.
IDAFLW occurs this year amid a global food waste emergency. A report released by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) revealed that over 1 billion meals a day are wasted, with food waste also generating 8-10 % of annual global greenhouse gas emissions
According to Ali Al Suhail, Vice President at investment bank DAI Magister, the role of breakthrough technologies in lowering the volume of excess food we produce must be recognised on IDAFLW.
Al Suhail said: “As the gravity of the food waste problem becomes increasingly apparent, a wave of technological innovation is sweeping across the food industry. A key part of 2024’s IDAFLW should be to raise awareness of these advancements, which are capable of infiltrating every stage of the food lifecycle, all the way from production and transit to retail and consumer choices.
“Companies worldwide are making significant strides in helping farmers reduce food waste at the beginning of the food supply chain. These organisations are leveraging technology and creative solutions to address this critical issue, which not only impacts food security but also contributes to environmental concerns.
“We’re seeing organisations develop edible plant-derived coatings to extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables, slowing down water loss and oxidation to allow produce to stay fresh for longer periods. Improved post-harvest techniques and storage methods are also delivering remarkable progress in helping smallholder farmers reduce food waste and improve productivity.
“Innovations in packaging and monitoring are supporting food preservation in transit. For example, some companies are adopting labels containing a gelatine-based solution that decomposes at the same rate as the food inside the package, changing from smooth to bumpy according to freshness. This technology has the potential to extend the usable life of products by up to 14 days, dramatically reducing waste due to premature disposal.
“At the retail level, the challenge of managing perishable inventory is being met with increasingly sophisticated AI solutions. Dynamic pricing systems use machine learning to optimise pricing for perishable goods, taking into account factors such as expiration date, current stock levels and historical sales data to automatically adjust prices in real-time.
“Whilst much of the emphasis on food waste reduction has been focused on industry and retail, startups are also devising innovative solutions to help consumers reduce waste in their own homes. This includes app-based marketplaces that eliminate retail food waste by connecting savvy shoppers with discounted groceries nearing their best-by dates, as well as peer-to-peer models where users post photos and descriptions of surplus food items, which nearby neighbours can then request.”
Al Suhail concluded: “New innovations have the potential to dramatically reduce waste, mitigate environmental impact and create a more sustainable food system. Shining a spotlight on these developments should be a fundamental part of IDAFLW, supporting endeavours to reimagine our relationship with food and construct a more equitable and efficient global food ecosystem.”