Half of the world's food 'is just thrown away'

[سيف الله]

Salaam

Quite shocking.

As much as half of all the food produced in the world - two billion tonnes worth - ends up being thrown away, a new report claims.

The waste is caused by poor infrastructure and storage facilities, over-strict sell-by dates, "get-one-free" offers, and consumer fussiness, according to the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

Each year countries around the world produce some four billion tonnes of food.

But between 30% and 50% of this total, amounting to 1.2 to two billion tonnes, never gets eaten, says the report Global Food; Waste Not, Want Not.

In the UK, up to 30% of vegetable crops are not harvested because their physical appearance fails to meet the exacting demands of consumers.

Half the food purchased in Europe and the US is thrown away after it is bought, the report adds.

Vast quantities of water are also wasted in global food production, it is claimed.

Around 550 billion cubic metres of water is used to grow crops that never reach the consumer, according to the report. Producing one kilogram of meat is also said to take 20 to 50 times more water than producing the same weight of vegetables.

The demand for water in food production could reach 10 to 13 trillion cubic metres a year by 2050, the institution said. This is up to 3.5 times greater than the total amount of fresh water used by humans today, raising the spectre of dangerous water shortages.

Dr Tim Fox, head of energy and environment at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, said: "The amount of food wasted and lost around the world is staggering. This is food that could be used to feed the world's growing population - as well as those in hunger today. It is also an unnecessary waste of the land, water and energy resources that were used in the production, processing and distribution of this food.

"The reasons for this situation range from poor engineering and agricultural practices, inadequate transport and storage infrastructure through to supermarkets demanding cosmetically perfect foodstuffs and encouraging consumers to overbuy through buy-one-get-one free offers."

By 2075 the United Nations predicts that the world's population will reach around 9.5 billion, resulting in an extra three billion mouths to feed.

Added stresses on the ability of the world to feed itself include global warming and the growing popularity of meat, which requires around 10 times more resources than staple plant foods such as rice or potatoes.

Dr Fox added: "As water, land and energy resources come under increasing pressure from competing human demands, engineers have a crucial role to play in preventing food loss and waste by developing more efficient ways of growing, transporting and storing foods.

"But in order for this to happen governments, development agencies and organisation like the UN must work together to help change people's mindsets on waste and discourage wasteful practices by farmers, food producers, supermarkets and consumers."

www.independent.co.uk

[Caller الداعي]

subhanallah ! what a waste

[Ali_008]

I feel so bad whenever I hear/see anything about food wastage. Here we are being so ungrateful to Allah (Subhaanahu Wa Taala) who is giving us sleep with our bellies full every night, whereas there are our Muslim brothers and sisters who struggle to feed their families even once a day in Africa. People are literally dying of hunger over there, and the world is concerned with overfeeding the obese. Surely, we live in an era with great fitna. Of all the things that Allah has provided us, two things top the list that deserve never ending gratitude:
1. Making us Muslims
2. Not putting us on the receiving end of such painful fitnas

I can't imagine the grief of a parent who puts his/her child to sleep at night knowing full well that the child did not eat his fill.

Ya Allah, you are indeed Ar-Raheem and Ar-Razzaq, protect every Muslim on earth from thirst and hunger, and guide the kuffar to Islam. Ameen

[sister herb]

I can't imagine the grief of a parent who puts his/her child to sleep at night knowing full well that the child did not eat his fill.

Salam alaykum

Thanks brother about your words. We should remember them - like when we next time are in shop thinking to buy for example our favorite chocolate... and give those money instead to charity to our sisters and brothers.

[Caller الداعي]

True ....sad!

[جوري]

Not shocked since this was always known until they decided to make an official report about it.
It goes along the lines of population explosion and so-called war against 'terrorism' - I'd go so far to say they deliberately throw away food and wage wars against people so only a sick 1% zabad (foam) or as they prefer to call themselves crème de la crème can live like gluttons and sloths without religion or a care in the world.
Allah created us and the resources for us, anything that goes bad we're directly responsible for!

[tearose]

Salamu 3laikum,
I never pay attention to sell-by-dates...they are ridiculously strict! With a bit of common sense you can tell that the food is still perfectly fine. The other thing I hate is when they say that food has to be consumed within three days after opening. I try not to buy stuff like that because you can never eat in within the three days. Supermarkets, as they are now, are a problem in my opinion. In a traditional market you only buy the quantity you need. In supermarkets its cheaper to buy more than you need because they come in ready packs. Sad.