Potential savings to avoid food waste
With simple measures, costs associated with food waste can be noticeably reduced or even halved. This is the conclusion of a team from the Bern University of Applied Sciences (BFH), which conducted a study in collaboration with the industry network United Against Waste (UAW).
Around 13 percent of food waste in Switzerland is generated in the catering industry. Each kilogram of food waste costs the company responsible 24 Swiss francs. A group of researchers and students led by BFH professor Marie Brechbühler found this out in a study conducted in collaboration with UAW.
In this context, the costs of food waste along the food preparation phases were also examined. While unprocessed food hardly ever ends up in the garbage can, food waste increases many times over during processing and consumption.
On the other hand, a lot of money could be saved by means of Food Save, i.e. by reducing food waste. Katja Lemmler from Sunstar Hotels confirms this: "The results of the study do not surprise me. The costs of food waste are too often underestimated and should therefore receive more attention. We were already able to greatly reduce our food waste with simple measures and save costs in the process."
One of the most effective ways to prevent food waste is to raise awareness among the kitchen team and guests.
Researchers and practitioners recommend measures that directly address processing and consumption. Awareness of the problem promotes respectful handling of food. They also recommend reducing the size of menus and portions. In this way, waste from overproduction and plate returns can be successfully prevented.
More details about United Against Waste (UAW) and recent study results can be found at here
MyFoodways App against Food Waste
This year's "World Food Day" is about how to put an end to world hunger. Of course, it's not always easy to see what you can do as an individual to help solve such a huge challenge. The UN campaign is precisely intended to show the enormous impact that can be achieved by throwing away less food at home and thus contributing to #zerohunger.
MyFoodways will be launched on Tuesday, October 16, on the UN's World Food Day.
The MyFoodways app is a recipe app that makes it easy for anyone and everyone to waste less food and save the household budget because it:
- Offers customized recipe ideas for leftovers and storage tips
- Allows users to swap out or omit ingredients within recipes depending on what is in stock in the refrigerator
- personalized menu suggestions that are healthy and sustainable (link)
MyFoodways is free of charge and was developed in Bern. For more information, click on the link below:
