Around the world, 1.6 billion tonnes of food goes to waste every year, an amount so significant it’s impossible to comprehend. This food waste has a significant impact on the environment. According to the UN, if global food waste could be reduced by just a quarter, there would be enough to feed all the malnourished populations of the world. Fortunately, food waste is a solvable problem if consumers, businesses, farmers, and governments work together. Emerging technology plays a crucial role in the solution, and many notable tech companies have come up with creative ways to combat the food waste crisis.
Apeel
Apeel has taken the concept of waxing fruits and vegetables to improve their shelf-life to a whole new level. Their edible, invisible coating is made from agricultural products that would otherwise go to waste, such as grape skins left over from wine production. Apeel’s coating can extend the shelf life of fruits and vegetables by five times! This technology is especially beneficial for farmers in developing countries who struggle to transport produce before it spoils. But even in the Western world, if Apeel’s product delivers on its promises, it could greatly reduce vegetable food waste in restaurants, supermarkets, and homes.
Full Harvest
Over 9 million tonnes of “decaying” produce goes to waste in the U.S. alone every year because stores reject it due to consumers’ preference for flawless-looking produce. Full Harvest is addressing this waste by creating the first B2B marketplace where growers can connect with food companies to sell their imperfect or surplus produce. Buyers of these less desirable goods can save up to 40% compared to traditional distributors.
Hungry Harvest and Imperfect Produce
Hungry Harvest and Imperfect Produce are two companies at the forefront of the battle to save “rotten” fruit and vegetables from deteriorating in the fields. Operating in the US, they take a direct-to-consumer approach by delivering food boxes filled with imperfect produce to less picky subscribers. Imperfect Produce claims to have saved over 18,000 tonnes of food and 1.2 billion gallons of water.
Hazel Technologies
Hazel Technologies has developed small sachets that release a chemical called 1-MCP, which is a potent plant hormone that signals fruits not to ripen yet. Fruit producers simply need to place a Hazel sachet into a box of their fruit. Over three weeks, the sachet slowly releases a safe chemical that slows down the ripening process. Since around 45% of all grown fruit goes to waste, this technology could have a significant impact, particularly in the developing world, by allowing more time for produce to reach the market.
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