2.3 FOOD LOSS AND WASTE
Fig 2.9 Food wastage, Illustration by Georgina Tee
Food loss and waste refer to the edible parts of plants and animals that are produced for human consumption however that is not ultimately consumed by people. Food loss refers to food that spills, spoils, incurs an abnormal reduction in quality. It is an unintended result of an agricultural process or technical limitation in storage, infrastructure, packaging, or marketing. Food waste refers to food that is of good quality and edible for human consumption but that does not get consumed because it is discarded, either before or after it spoils. Food waste is the result of ignorance or a decision to throw food away.
2.3.1 APPROACHES TO REDUCE FOOD WASTAGE Collection and re-distribution of food: Food redistribution is a method for reducing both food loss and waste. To decrease the wastage of cooked food, there can be shelters for hungry people, homeless and undernourished where the unconsumed food is collected from the nearby eateries, function halls, schools and residences. Waste management:
Fig 2.10 Composting machine, a product of Ecoman Source: www.ecomanenviro
In the circumstances where the food is not fit for human consumption, a waste management technique where the organic food waste is broken down with the help of microorganisms to get the end product, compost which can thus be used as plant nutrients in farming.
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