Gelisim News

14.5 MILLION TONS OF FOOD GO TO WASTE EVERY YEAR!

The balance of food waste, which occurs due to reasons such as rotting of foods while harvesting or not consuming products by excessive shopping, results in 1 out of every 3 foods produced in the world going to waste. Zeynep Türkmen, Head of Cooking Department at Istanbul Gelisim University, stated that reducing food waste will create a positive social and environmental impact as well as economic benefits.

FOOD WASTE IS MOSTLY MADE AT HOME

Food waste, arising from people's consumption habits and reaching a global dimension, also accounts for 8% of carbon emissions that cause climate change. Zeynep Türkmen, Head of Gelisim Vocational School Cooking Department, indicated the following:

“Waste can be prevented with fundamental changes to be implemented in living spaces. Studies demonstrate that most of the food waste is done in our homes. Bread and bakery products, vegetables and fruits are at the top of the most thrown away foods. One of every 4 breads bought into homes is thrown away every day. It is of great significance to gain conscious consumption habits in preventing food waste. With a correct and planned program, food waste in homes can be prevented and thousands of foodstuffs can be prevented from going to waste.”

DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR WASTE GOES?

Food waste, which poses a great threat to the future of humanity, can have serious consequences if no action is taken. Our future is under threat with every food wasted. Emphasizing that consumers should first know what they throw in the trash, Lect. Türkmen emphasized that food waste can be prevented with the following 3 steps. Here are those steps:

 1- Planned and smart shopping is a must!
     By adding the products whose expiration date is approaching to the weekly cooking list, you can consume the products without spoiling them. At the same time, shopping can be done more frequently but in small amounts compared to the weekly cooking list.

2- Cook according to your needs
     Prepare portions by calculating the number of people in the house. Add little by little while serving on the plate. In this way, it will be easier for you to store inedible food.

3- Store foods correctly
    Any food that is stored correctly preserves its taste and benefits. It should be protected by paying attention to the storage conditions of the food.

In addition to these, Lect. Türkmen expressed that food for animals and organic fertilizer for plants can be obtained from food residues. The harm caused by unconscious consumption can be eliminated with more effective and correct consumption habits.