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The FAO restaurant served soup based on vegetables that would otherwise have gone to waste for during World Food Day on October the 16th. The soup was prepared with croutons, and judging from the four kitchen refills, the souped-up event was successful, in addition to tasty!

Feeding the 5 000 with partners in Belgium, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and the UK hosted a series of Disco Soup events, where people came together to peel, cut and prepare surplus fruits and vegetables – to music!, on occasion of World Food Day.

SAVE FOOD partner Siemens BSH teamed up with the Norwegian food research institute Nofima and the private-sector food waste reduction initiative ForMat to host the One Third Photo exhibition at the Thief Hotel in Oslo, Norway. The exhibition raises awareness on food waste and informs on appropriate food storage and cooling.

FAO Assistant Director-General Hiroyuki Konuma, announced the launching of the Save Food Asia-Pacific Campaign at a High-Level Multi-Stakeholder Consultation on Food Losses and Food Waste in Bangkok in August. More than 130 participants from 20 countries attended the consultation, which was organised by the FAO regional office for Asia and the Pacific.

The World Food Programme has initiated a project to help small holder farmers increase their production and food security through reducing post harvest food loss. The project will roll out in Burkina Faso but will expand to other sub Saharan countries in time. Part of the project includes testing pest-proof storage bags with SAVE FOOD partner Vestergaard.

The largest Norwegian milk producer Tine has changed its carton printing to emphasise that it indicates “best before” and not “use by”. The wrong interpretation of date marking is a known cause for food waste. Tine is hoping that consumers will monitor and use their products even after the best before date has expired.

The Japanese government has invited food producers, wholesalers and retailers to review their best before logistics. Food has currently to be delivered in the first trimester between production and best before date, or the food is discarded. The delivery period will be extended to half-time, leading hopefully to less waste.

India’s Minister of Agriculture Sharad Pawar says the country must double its storage capacity for fruits and vegetables to bring down food losses. Fruits and vegetables account for a third of the nation’s food spoils, and need an additional capacity of 32 million tons just for cold storage.

The Hungarian delegation to the EU Agriculture and Fisheries council has stressed the importance of Europe tackling food waste and highlighted the efforts of Save Food, Think Eat Save, FUSIONS and the EU Commission of increasing awareness, knowledge and actions to reduce food losses and waste.

The Singapore Times report that the National Environment Agency (NEA) registered a total of 703 200 tons of food waste last year, a 25 percent increase from the previous record from 2007. The rise is blamed on increase in both population and tourism, but that the underlying cause is structural.

The Mozambique UN country team wins the first Rome-based Agencies’ (RBA) excellence award on collaboration. IFAD, WFP and FAO have worked jointly with 17 000 smallholder farmers on an EU project in Mozambique, resulting in reduced post-harvest losses and 30 percent increase in outputs.

The NGO Compatible Technologies International (CTI) has secured funding to launch its “millet suite” in Senegal. The suite includes a manually-operated stripper, thresher, winnower, and grinder, which together increases grain yields and minimizes food losses that occur with traditional methods.

The ADM Institute of Illinois University has launched a blog to improve dialogue on developing action steps and practical approaches to reducing post-harvest loss (PHL). The blog features direct engagement with readers, sharing of best practices and the “PHL in the news “ newsletter archive.

The ADM Institute of Illinois University shares stories on how lack of storage facilities for grains in Brazil and Pakistan, and maize in Ghana leads to losses, how prolonged storage destroys wheat reserves in India, how the Indian auditor general reacted, how the metal silo is continuing to improve storage in Kenya, how women can help reduce food losses and how Hong Kong banker Ka-Wei got into food banking.

The “your FOOD, Your HEALTH, Your FUTURE” youth photo contest aims to gather pictures that communicate problems, solutions and encourage action. The topics explore the relationship between food production, consumption and waste on climate change and the environment; its impact on nutrition and health; as well as developing more sustainable food systems. Submit before October 11.

SAVE FOOD at Sustainable Food Systems

Watch the presentations and the panel debate on reducing food losses and waste during the sustainable food systems conference in Rome on the 18th of October. Entire day is worth watching, but if you want to go directly to the AGS-hosted event, scroll the player to just above the “Next” button.

The EU project FUSIONS (Food Use for Social Innovation by Optimising Waste Prevention Strategies) is calling for potential feasibility studies on projects that prevent and reduce food waste in Europe. Fill in the survey before 22 November 2013 to have your project evaluated. FAO and Save Food are partners in the FUSIONS Consortium and the competition selection process is lead by WRAP, IFR, BIO IS, WUR and SIK.

The European Commission’s Environment Commissioner Janez Potočnik is asking food stakeholders, citizens, businesses, NGOs and public authorities for ideas on immediate action to reduce food waste and more generally on how to ensure our food system is using resources efficiently.

Leiden University graduate Federica Marra has published her thesis on food loss and waste in Japan. She notes that Japan discards about 18 million tons of food annually, or about 40 percent of its food production. A stringent focus on food security is increasingly in conflict with the traditional pride in self-sufficiency, bringing a unique Japanese approach to dealing with the problem.

A new study tallying the lifecycle waste of grains in china is estimating that 20 percent of its grains are lost between production and consumption. The study has also calculated the environmental footprint of the waste, i.e., the costs in water, land and other resources food loss and waste brings.

An Australian study has identified key areas and causes for food loss and waste along fresh and manufactured food supply chains. It proposes interventions such as better integration between primary, secondary and tertiary packaging, as well as more critical use of best-before date marking.

It will be easier to help smallholders adopt new practices and technologies to increase productivity if the determinants of farmer’s market participation are better understood, not least when addressing on-farm and post-harvest losses. A new FAO report underlines the importance of inclusive development planning when aiming to improve earnings through increased output and sales.

Raised racks for reduced fish losses

FAO Fisheries have had great results with raised wire-mesh racks for drying small fish in Lake Tanganyika. They report that since the project started in 2004, more processed fish is entering the market despite a stable takeout from the lake. The reason: savings in post harvest losses.

The World Vegetable Center (AVRDC) has studies food losses during harvesting, handling and marketing of tomatoes and Amaranth in selected regions of Ghana. The survey found hot weather, disease, handling and transportation, transport and distance to market as main culprits.

A study by the Australian RMIT University has shown the vital role of packaging in minimising food waste along the supply chain. The study shows where and why food waste in Australia and New Zealand occurs along both the fresh and manufactured food supply chains.

An Ecuadorian fruit company is making success with their three- and five-packs of peeled, vacuum packed bananas. The company says the peeled bananas last longer – up to 48 days, as peel contains the ripening agent ethylene, and that a lighter shipment saves transport costs.

Fresh produce growers can reduce losses, boost sales and enter new markets with innovative packaging, according to the South African fresh produce marketing association (PMA). The association cited the success of marketing cherry tomatoes in “popcorn” shakers preserved the produce and promoted its use as a snack.

The Argentine National Industrial Technology Institute (INTI) are studying how strawberries can last longer after a coating of chitosan, a natural bio-preservative derived from shrimp shells. It works by inhibiting fungal growth, preserving both nutrient and water content. A vegetarian equivalent is available.

Food waste reduction activist Tristram Stuart visited Wageningen University on occasion of the First Global Food Security Conference being held in Holland. Stuart held a small presentation on his work, and answered questions from the 300 or so students and staff on food waste reduction possibilities.

TV Argentina features a cooking show where FAO Argentina Communications Officer Silvina Ferreyra shows how consumers can reduce food waste through planning meals and using leftovers in innovative ways.

A group of Indian students have invented a simple solar conduction dryer to provide a low cost option for small scale farmers and fishermen who don’t have regular access to electricity. The dryer is more effective than simple solar drying, and will preserve more nutrients in a shorter amount of time, reducing food waste in the process.

BBC Radio’s Costing the Earth recently featured an episode and a feature article on food waste on September 13. Reporter Kat Arney meets the farmers, thinkers and gleaners determined to stop the rot.

Dr. Betty Bugusu of Purdue University looks at food waste across the world and how market development and innovative food processing can improve food security. She defines food security as all people having food sufficient to meet dietary needs for an active lifestyle.

The Global FoodBanking Network (GFN) has released a video on how it supports food banks around the world in order to bridge the gap between the estimated 850 million people who go chronically hungry, and the 1.3 billion tons of food that is wasted each year. The story of GFN here.

The European Commission Directorate for Health and Consumers has released a film on the absurdities of food waste. The one minute spot shows different people’s shopping habits in a humorous way.

Selina Juul on the air 1 and 2

Nordic Council nominee and Save Food partner Selina Juul of the Danish NGO Stop Wasting Food talked to the European corrugated cardboard trade group on ways of reducing food waste through packaging. Earlier, she presented ideas on food waste reduction before 1300 listeners at the 20th Soroptimist congress in Berlin.

Counting the loss

Steve Sonka of the ADM Institute of Illinois University questions our ability to reduce post harvest losses without improving our measurement of the same. He cites high costs as a major historic barrier, which the introduction of ICT and smart phones are rapidly changing.

World Resources Institute, UNEP, and FAO hosted a session on developing a food waste protocol at the Global Green Growth Forum in Copenhagen. The forum was attended by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon, the FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva, as well as number high-level delegates.

Director of FAO Rural Infrastructure and Agro-Industries Division (AGS) Eugenia Serova chaired a session on food loss and waste reduction in the value chain, featuring SAVE FOOD, Think.Eat.Save, SmartFish, the All India Food Processors' Association, the Network of Farmers' and Agricultural Producers' Organisations of West Africa, as well as a presentation on logistic systems.

The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted a High Level Seminar on “Food Loss and Food Waste”, on occasion of World Food Day, attended by the Italian ministers of Foreign Affairs, Emma Bonino; of Health, Andrea Orlando; and Environment Beatrice Lorenzin, as well as the Director-General of FAO, José Graziano da Silva.

Stjepan Tanic of the FAO’s Regional Office for Europe and Central Europe participated on the panel with the Swiss National Committee for FAO for the Idea competition to solve food losses and food waste. Kenyan Irene Njeri submitted the winning entry for a village based “grain bank”.

The Alliance against Hunger and Malnutrition and European food bank networks hosted a regional workshop on hunger and malnutrition. The two day event shared experiences improving food security and hunger, and launched the European chapter of the alliance, including a regional plan of action.

The Young Professionals Forum for International Development (YouFID) hosted the Global Soap Project, the Portuguese Zero Waste Movement; Feed the World winner SaveUP!, World Food Programme’s Purchase for Progress and FAO’s SAVE FOOD and Food for the Cities for an evening of innovative solutions for waste reduction, prevention and recycling.

SAVE FOOD participated at the first Multi-stakeholder meeting for the EU-funded FUSIONS project, along with over 100 participants from various stakeholder groups in the Food Supply Chain. The meeting discussed new ways to reduce food waste and achieve a more resource efficient Europe.

The German permanent representative to the UN agencies in Rome hosted SAVE FOOD on occasion of its annual reunification celebration. SAVE FOOD co-founder Messe Düsseldorf sponsored the event, which was attended by more than 200 dignitaries and staff at the three UN agencies in Rome.

Save Food recently concluded four field studies on the extent, causes and possible solutions to food losses in the maize, banana, milk and fisheries sectors of Kenya. National and international experts debated the findings and proposed elements of a national food loss reduction strategy. Report will be available shortly.

FAO Argentina Communications Officer Silvina Ferreyra participated at the 9th conference of the network. The conference focused on food waste. A panel consisting of FAO, Molinos food company, Unilever, Alamo cooperative and NGO Feed it discussed how consumer behaviour can become more sustainable.

Cold storage can increase the shelf-life of fresh produce from two days to two weeks, said Post-harvest physiologist Dr Jane Ambuko at the Africa Food Security Conference, in Nairobi. Lack of storage facilities forces smallholders to sell just after harvesting (when prices are low), making it difficult to escape poverty.

Save Food partner Ganesh Benzoplast has developed FoodGuard and FishGuard to prevent food waste and food poisoning through hindering micro-organism growth and toxin excretion. It is approved by both the Indian Bureau of Standards and the US Food and Drug Administration.

Save Food partner Siemens Home Appliances Nordics launched its consumer public awareness campaign on the improvement of food storage and freshness through using the freshness features of its refrigerators.

US-based non-profit Meridian Institute is implementing the Value Chain Innovations in Africa project, which helps to identify and implement a number of practical, low-cost approaches are being implemented to reduce post-harvest loss in the cassava, dairy and maize value-chains.

ED’s School of Geosciences is quantifying food loss and waste in UK and Kenyan case studies, calculating resulting greenhouse gas emissions, and examining potential interventions in context of emissions mitigation in the study of “The Climate Change Mitigation Potential of Tackling Global Food Waste”.

Senegalese NGO specialising in technical and vocational training. CS has launched a decentralized support project to develop enterprises for processing of local food products, including reducing food loss and waste.

Value Chain Management International enables agri-businesses to compete more effectively by creating financially and environmentally sustainable value chains. Its “Cut Waste, GROW PROFIT” initiative seeks to improve profitability by reducing food and associated waste.

Zero Percent is a system designed to help businesses move edible food surplus by using an online marketplace. The system automatically alerts volunteers at nearby soup kitchens and shelters, through text and email, until it can find one volunteer who accepts to pick up the donation.

A hunger-relief initiative aiming to create a nationwide “food rescue” network that connects restaurants, catering agencies and other food providers with the local community for a hunger-free Lebanon.

This newsletter presents ongoing activities in the area of food losses and waste. It does not necessarily reflect the views of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, nor of any individual partner in SAVE FOOD.

If you have items that you think would fit in the SAVE FOOD news, please send an email to [email protected], or visit www.fao.org/save-food for more information.

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Reduce waste with your fridge

The UK waste consultants WRAP has looked into the effect of fridge and freezer use on food waste. They found that using the fridge at 4 degrees Celsius for storing fresh foods, and the freezer for longer term food storage could lead to net savings of USD 310 million, and a reduction of 210 000 tons of CO₂ equivalents.

A simple A4 announcement from the office printer can be enough to reduce food waste, indicates a new study. Researchers at Kansas State University weighted food trays before, during and after the poster campaign, and found that food waste dropped by 15 percent, regardless of poster design.

Save Food partners Tetra Pak and WRAP have found that 4 in 5 of Britons pour 350 million litres of (presumably) spoilt milk down the drain annually. WRAP says on its blog that freezing milk just before expiry keeps it fresh, and having a carton of long life milk reduces need for overbuying.

The consultancy firm SKM has released a report on the cost of food waste. It shows how cost of losses escalates throughout the refinement process as value added brings additional expenses. Most surprisingly, the study shows how a two percent cut in waste can effectively double the profit.

The Ontario city of Guelph has teamed up with the University of Guelph to map the extent of food waste by its inhabitants. All waste set out for city collection will be weighted and inspected by unfortunate research assistants before providing.

We covered a Korean “pay as you throw” initiative to reduce food waste in out July edition. Now Kenneth Marsh, chair of the Post-harvest workgroup in the Global Harmonization Initiative, has shared an article he wrote on how to implement PAYT initiatives on a wider scale in 2011.

26-27 October. FAO Director-General on the BBC World News series, Horizons, will be featuring FAO Director-General Jose Graziano de Silva to examines new technologies to reduce global food waste.

28 October, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Reduce the footprint of food waste; A responsibility for all. The FAO Representative Office in Argentina is hosting an event to present the recent study on environmental impacts of food waste, and discuss big and small actions we can do to reduce it.

28-29 October, Montpellier, France. 5^th AESOP Conference on Sustainable Food Planning. Innovations in urban food systems with specific sessions on flows, land and governance. Hosted by The French National Institute For Agricultural Research, INRA.

28-29 October, Montpellier, France. 5^th AESOP Conference on Sustainable Food Planning. Innovations in urban food systems with specific sessions on flows, land and governance. Hosted by The French National Institute For Agricultural Research, INRA.

30 October, Oslo, Norway. Nordic Council decides if Save Food partner Stop Wasting Food and founder Selina Juul wins the environmental price for 2013.

3-6 November, Chicago, USA. ProcessExpo. Global Food Equipment and Technology Show. SAVE FOOD will participate and present the full SAVE FOOD exhibition showcasing the findings from the Global study on food loss and waste.

4-7 November, Tunis, Tunisia. 3^rd Regional Multi-stakeholder Workshop on Food Security and Nutrition for the Near East. Formulation of regional food loss and waste reduction strategy and launch of regional SAVE FOOD network for the Near East and North Africa. Hosted by FAO Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa and supported by SAVE FOOD Initiative.

5-8 November, Bogota, Colombia. Andina-Pack 2013. The 12th edition of one of Latin America’s largest trade fairs for the packaging sector, with a third of the exhibitors from the food and beverage industry. Organised by Pafyc Ltda.

7 November, Rimini, Italy. Ecomondo Expo. Side event at the 17th international trade fair of material and energy recovery for sustainable devleopment: Reduce and prevent food waste. Organised by University of Bologna/ Last Minute Market and supported by Save Food.

12 November, Mississauga, Canada. Second Annual Food Waste Forum hosted by Value Chain Management International. The forum will build on the VCMI white paper, which described proven ways to reduce food waste and associated wastes (including energy, water, labour, etc.) along the value chain.

12-13 November, Hanoi, Viet Nam. Less food waste: Efficiency and eco-innovation for a sustainable food chain. Resource efficiency and eco-innovation for sustainable food chains. 15th Forum on Eco-innovation and the UNEP Roundtable on Eco-innovation co-hosted by UNEP and the European Commission, and supported by the FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific.

13-15 November, Rome, Italy. Preparatory Technical Meeting for the Second International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2). Jointly organized by FAO and WHO with partners, and supported by SAVE FOOD Initiative with a focus on the impact of food loss reduction through better handling and improved efficiency in the chain on nutrition.

18-22 November, Budapest, Hungary. Expert consultation on the country food loss and waste studies for Armenia, Turkey and Ukraine.

18 November, Oslo, Norway. FUSIONS workshop on methodology and impact for programme partners.

19 November, Oslo, Norway. Workshop on Food Waste Research. Ostfold Research, Nofima, SIFO and the Research Council of Norway invite research scientists and persons working in the food sector, business organizations, governmental authorities, NGOs to present and help determine the way forward on food waste research in the Nordic countries and Europe.

21 November, Bonn, Germany. Horticulture Symposium. Save Food partner Bayer CropScience is organising a forum on fresh produce losses before and after harvest. SAVE FOOD will present at the event.

26 November, Nouadhibou, Mauritania. Regional conference on food security and income generation through reduction of losses and waste in fisheries. The conference is coordinated by the FAO Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa, with technical inputs from the Fisheries Products, Trade and Marketing group.

26-27 November, Milano, Italy. 5^th international forum on food and nutrition hosted by the Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition. Forum will showcase the YES! 2013 finalists, promoting their discussions with young international experts, and feature an expert debate on global themes for a sustainable future for People and Planet.

10-11 December, Rome, Italy. Save Food partnership event. Co-organised by FAO and Messe Düsseldorf.

Read more news on food loss and waste reduction from ADM Institute of the University of Illinois and the Global FoodBanking Network.