According to WRI and UNEP, more than one-third of all the food that people produce globally goes to waste in the consumption and food production process. This data amounts to approximately $1 trillion when food waste is converted into calories. Ironically, with all this food that ends up in the bin, many people sleep on hungry stomachs every day. Luckily, some people opened their eyes and thought of how much waste this leads to and how this waste food can be turned into something delicious and fit for consumption. Here are some of the companies out there that have proved that leftovers can be beneficial.
BarstensVol
This Netherlands-based company finds treasure in the foods that would otherwise be heading for the bin simply because they don’t qualify for the market standards. Many foods are discarded because they are bigger or smaller than what the market requires, or they have a funny shape or a small deformity. BarstensVol stepped in to reduce food waste and uses such foods to make delicious ready-to-heat soups.
SAVE FOOD ASIA-PACIFIC
About half a billion people die in the Asian Pacific region yet a lot of food about 42 percent goes to waste. This is so ironic so Save Food Asia-Pacific came in to show how leftover food is not waste, but actually, it is a need in this region and all over the world. This campaign addresses food waste issues in Asia and the Pacific region. The main issue causing food waste in developing countries is post-harvest losses. This campaign educates the masses and provides resources that deal with food waste to increase and provide sustainable consumption.
AGRIPROTEIN TECHNOLOGIES
This South-African-based company uses organic waste from food factories, hotels, and restaurants to make food for chicken and fish that are farm raised. The company also uses products from supermarkets that are out of date to make such useful products. This benefits the company, which makes treasure from trash; it as well saves the environment and improves food production from chicken and fish.
SNACT
Two environmentalists, Michael and Llana knew nothing about food production, marketing or FMCG but with a small room rented in Hackney, they used to collect food surplus from the market after the trading day was over and tried many recipes for making snacks. Sometimes later their products were in the market and embraced by many, more than they ever expected. These two lovers of the environment save the surplus food that would, however, be filing the dustbins and at the same time, they produce healthy snacks that have no preservatives, additives, or flavorings. They ensure to produce foods that are exactly as nature intended.
AGRIDUST
It is an Italian 3-D printing company, which uses food waste in its printing work. Unlike other 3-D printing companies that use plastics, which are not recyclable, AgriDust uses waste vegetables and fruits. Most of the materials used by AgriDust in its 3-D printing work come from food waste. For its binding work, AgriDust uses potato starch. Their products can be used to replace unrecyclable plastics or can even be used in printing out samples before producing a finished product.
These companies have seen a treasure in what we consider waste and unfit for human consumption. I vote for them and more others that I haven’t mentioned in this article as world heroes. You can also be a hero, buy only what you need and store your foods well to prevent them from spoiling.
🌱 Join the Fight Against Food Waste! Be a Hero for the Planet! 🌍
Products made from Food Waste FAQs
What products can be made from food waste?
Food waste can be transformed into various products through recycling and repurposing. Some common examples include organic compost, animal feed, biogas for energy production, and bio-based materials like packaging and biofuels.
How can we reuse kitchen waste?
There are several ways to reuse kitchen waste effectively. One option is composting, where food scraps are converted into nutrient-rich compost for gardening and landscaping. Another approach is vermiculture, using worms to break down organic waste into nutrient-rich vermicompost. Additionally, some kitchen waste can be used to make homemade stock, broth, or infused oils, reducing waste and enhancing flavors in cooking.
What food waste can be recycled into?
Food waste can be recycled into various useful products. It can be processed in anaerobic digesters to produce biogas, which can be used as a renewable energy source. Food waste can also be converted into organic fertilizers and soil conditioners through composting, enriching soil quality. Additionally, certain food waste materials can be repurposed into bio-based materials such as bioplastics, biofuels, and animal feed.
