Better refrigeration could significantly reduce global food waste

Every year, a staggering 1.3 billion tons of food waste occurs globally, a crisis that unfolds while an estimated 800 million people face hunger. This significant global food waste contributes to climate-warming greenhouse gas emissions, suggesting a dire need for systemic change in refrigeration.

Shameful habit of food waste

Food waste refers to food that is discarded or uneaten. This occurs at various stages of the food supply chain, from production and processing to retail and consumption.

In farms, food waste can result from crops left unharvested due to weather, pests, or market conditions.

During processing, food may be discarded due to imperfections or contamination. In retail, supermarkets often discard unsold food items, especially those approaching their sell-by dates.

Consumers contribute significantly to food waste by buying more than they need, improperly storing food, or discarding leftovers.

Food waste has serious environmental, economic, and social impacts. Environmentally, decomposing food in landfills produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas contributing to climate change.

Economically, wasted food represents a loss of resources like water, labor, and energy used in its production.

Socially, food waste is particularly troubling given that millions of people worldwide suffer from hunger and food insecurity. Reducing food waste is crucial for sustainability and global food security.

Reducing food waste with refrigeration

A recent study reveals the enormous potential of refrigeration to combat the global food waste crisis.

Researchers found that enhancing cold chains — the refrigerated systems used to transport and store food — could prevent a staggering 620 million metric tons of food from going to waste each year. 

This innovative approach not only addresses food security concerns but also significantly reduces the environmental impact of food waste. 

By implementing fully refrigerated supply chains worldwide, greenhouse gas emissions associated with food waste could be slashed by an impressive 41%, marking a significant step towards a more sustainable food system.

Cold-chain enhancements in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia

The study pinpoints Sub-Saharan Africa and South and Southeast Asia as regions with the highest potential for reducing food waste and associated emissions through better refrigeration systems.

South and Southeast Asia could see a reduction in food losses by 45% and a decrease in emissions by 54%.

Sub-Saharan Africa could achieve even greater reductions, with food loss potentially decreasing by 47% and emissions by 66%.

Localized food supply chains

Interestingly, the study also sheds light on the benefits of localized, less industrialized food supply chains.

These farm-to-table systems may offer food savings comparable to those achieved through optimized cold chains, presenting a viable alternative in certain contexts.

Aaron Friedman-Heiman, the study’s lead author, shared his surprise at the scale of the global opportunity for reducing food loss and waste.

He emphasized that optimizing food supply chains could address approximately half of the annual food waste.

New tool reduces food waste and emissions

Food losses are estimated to produce about 8% of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions.

The study’s focus is particularly on the post-harvest to retail stages, where improved cold-chain infrastructure could significantly impact both food security and environmental sustainability.

Developed by researchers at the University of Michigan, the study introduces a food-loss estimation tool designed to help stakeholders assess and improve their cold-chain systems.

This tool could be invaluable for a wide range of participants in the food supply chain, from farmers to grocery retailers and government officials.

Investing for maximum impact

The study’s co-author, Shelie Miller, highlights that while the global expansion of cold-chain infrastructure is underway, the development will vary across different regions.

This variable growth suggests that investment decisions in refrigeration improvements need careful prioritization to maximize the intended outcomes of reducing food waste, whether they focus on reducing hunger or cutting down greenhouse gas emissions.

Miller points out that meat, despite constituting a smaller proportion of food waste by weight, accounts for over 50% of the associated emissions.

Optimizing the refrigeration of meat could thus eliminate more than 43% of emissions linked to meat loss alone.

Balancing food waste and climate change

As the world grapples with the challenges of food waste and climate change, the decisions made today regarding refrigeration infrastructure will have lasting impacts.

It is clear that while there are significant environmental and social benefits to improving refrigeration systems, there are also important trade-offs that vary by food type and region.

This nuanced understanding can help organizations and governments make informed choices about where and how to invest in refrigeration technologies, balancing the urgent need to reduce food waste with the equally critical need to address climate change.

The full study was published in the journal Environmental Research Letters.

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