About 735mn people worldwide suffer from hunger and malnutrition. At the same time, approximately 570mn tons of food are thrown out every year, according to the Food and Agriculture Program of the United Nations (FAO).
As per the FAO Agro-Industry Officer Robert van Otterdijk, there are several reasons why food waste occurs, including individual, social, and economic factors.
To reduce the volume of food waste, joint and coordinated actions are required by food industry enterprises and politicians at different levels.
The FAO has developed a number of simple and practical tips for consumers to reduce the amount of food waste, such as keeping a "food waste diary" during the week to assess the amount of food waste and its causes.
Besides, experts recommend checking what products are at home and in what quantities, making a list before going to the store, and not buying too much. One of the main reasons for the formation of food waste in households is a misunderstanding of the difference between "fit to" and "use to".
FAO explains that food products labeled "use before" are still suitable for consumption after the specified date, while the designation "good before" indicates the product's expiration date. Another effective way to deal with food waste is using "not the first freshness" products safely. For example, slightly overripe fruits can be used to prepare desserts, and salmorejo can be made from stale bread – a typical Spanish soup.
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