Solutions for your food waste ‘problems’.

The end goal is simple but the process is far from it, and across the food sector, companies are seeking out solutions to minimise food waste. At Air Products we know just how pressing an issue this is for our customers – and is one in which they, with our help, are looking to make continual improvements. To this end, recent innovations we have brought forward seek to tackle the problem head on.

First was our Freshline® Aroma MAP launch, the first advance in modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) technology in decades. While from a brand standpoint the innovation allows producers to give their products their own recognisable scent – crucially, it also plays two key roles in the war on food waste.

Consumers regularly throw away food before a sell by date for the simple reason that it no longer smells appetising – a waste which they see as a sensible precaution despite the food being perfectly edible. Aroma MAP ensures that consumers retain confidence in these products – cutting down on the number of product returns and therefore the amount of edible food being wasted.

At Air Products we know just how pressing an issue this is for our customers – and is one in which they, with our help, are looking to make continual improvements.

Secondly, in some cases some essential oils used in Aroma MAP have antimicrobial qualities, further extending shelf life beyond previous MAP solutions and creating longer lasting products.

More recently we have launched an online tool to help draw attention to the issue of sustainability in food packaging.

The food waste calculator, which can be accessed for free on the Air Products website, assesses which packaging solution provides the best answer to minimising food waste and the carbon footprint of any given product. It helps producers make the right choice between products packaged with MAP gases, products packaged with air and those presented in no packaging at all. It looks holistically at the best bespoke approach for producers trying to cut down on plastic usage while preventing food waste.

These are just two examples of the vital work being done to tackle what remains such a crucial issue.

We will never stop trying to improve our practices, nor to use our expertise to generate a cleaner future

In an age where sustainability and environmental responsibility are more than just buzzwords, the food industry is under increasing pressure to find innovative solutions to reduce waste and improve the efficiency of food distribution