Our Responsibilities to Reduce Food Waste

Sustainable practices have become an increasingly important aspect of the fresh produce industry.

Australia has been facing catastrophic events due to climate change, including bushfires, floods, cyclones and droughts. Sustainable practices in our industry are important in helping to reduce our impact and foster a promising future. Food waste is one of the biggest areas of concern globally and in Australia within the fresh produce and agriculture industry, with one third of all food produced going to waste – 1.3 billion tons of food. According to Mark Barthel, between a fifth and a quarter of food is lost or wasted in primary production. Nearly a fifth is wasted in processing and manufacturing, and then between 3% in distribution and then 7% in wholesale and retail. 51% is wasted in the consumption end including in households, restaurants and institutions. So, what can you do to help reduce food waste? Around the market, there are collection points for the donation of food. FareShare has a collection point on the northern end of the market at the back of store 6. FareShare is a charity which rescues food that would otherwise be wasted and cooks it into free, nutritious meals for frontline charities and community groups who help people in need. So, what exactly do they accept?

FareShare’s Melbourne kitchen is grateful for all fresh produce, and can particularly use the following items in retail, wholesale or bulk packaging:

Asian greens Asparagus

Bean (any variety) Broccoli Brussel Sprouts Cabbage

Capsicum (any variety) Carrots Cauliflower Celeriac Celery Corn Eggplant

Garlic Ginger Leeks

Mushrooms (any variety) Onions (any variety)

Peas / Snow peas

Potatoes (preferably washed) Pumpkin (any variety) Silverbeet Parsnips

Spinach

Squash Swedes

Sweet potato (any variety) Tomatoes (any variety) Turnips Zucchini

Donating to FareShare will help reduce the amount of food waste within the Melbourne Market, improve the lives of people in hardship and create a more sustainable market. There are some other small changes you can make, even at home, to reduce your food waste. Here are just a few tips: 1. Don’t buy too much. It’s better to take a few trips to the grocery store and only buy what you need. 2. Be creative with end-of-life food. For example, put leftover or wilted greens into a soup, smoothie or baked dishes. Or even collect food scraps/old veggies to use in a stock. 3. Re-organise your fridge moving older produce to the front so it can be used first 4. Make sure to store food correctly. This includes keeping the fridge below 5°C, store cooked food above uncooked/raw food, and store food in sealed containers. 5. Try out a preservation recipe! Pickling is a great way to preserve veggies, and most fruits can be made into jams or sauces. Reducing food waste benefits not only your pocket, as more conscious efforts to use the food you buy will save you money, but it will benefit the future. Reducing food waste in turn will help to reduce the need for land, water and other resources needed to grow food, as well as reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Sustainable practices are the way forward in our industry and is a crucial step in creating a better future.