Companies Develop Technologies to Deal with Food Waste
2022-12-18
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1Restaurants, farmers, and food businesses are turning to chemistry and physics to deal with the problem of food waste.
2Some companies are testing coverings to slow the ripening process in fruit and packets to keep food fresh.
3Others are developing digital sensors that can tell when meat is safe to eat.
4Experts say growing awareness of the costs of food waste has led to more efforts to deal with the problem.
5ReFed is a group that studies food waste.
6 It says new businesses have raised $300 billion in 2021, double the amount raised in 2020, to deal with the problem.
7The group estimates that in 2019, around 35 percent of food available in the U.S. - worth about $418 billion - went unsold or uneaten.
8The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says that food waste is the largest kind of material placed in local waste areas.
9And the agency notes that rotting food releases methane, a gas that is not good for the environment.
10ReFed estimates 225,000 kilograms of food could be kept out of waste areas each year with special, high-tech coverings.
11Many companies are working on ways to help reduce food waste.
12Sweden-based Innoscentia is developing a sensor that can show if meat is safe to eat by measuring the buildup of microbes inside its container.
13And Ryp Labs, based in the U.S. and Belgium, is working on a sticker for fruits and vegetables that would release gas to slow ripening.
14SavrPak has developed a plant-based packet that can fit inside a container and take in moisture, helping keep the food inside hotter and crispier.
15But the cost can be a barrier for some companies and shoppers.
16Kroger, the largest food-store company in the U.S., ended its deal with Apeel Sciences this year.
17The deal ended because Kroger said shoppers were not willing to pay more for fruits with Apeel's special covering to keep them fresh.
18Apeel says its special covering is made of common food additives.
19It says treated avocados can last a few extra days, while treated oranges can last for several weeks.
20The company says that it continues to talk to Kroger about other future technology.
21Another big issue is how to deal with different care requirements for different kinds of food to prevent waste.
22"There is no one major change that can improve the situation," said Randy Beaudry of Michigan State University's school of agriculture.
23Beaudry said the complexity of the issue has caused some food waste projects to fail.
24He added that it is also hard to sort out which technology works best since new companies do not always share data with outside researchers.
25Some companies find it better to use proven technology in new ways.
26For example, Chicago-based Hazel Technologies has been selling a chemical compound, called 1-MCP, that is used in a room to slow the ripening process in fruit.
27The company now sells packets that can slowly release 1-MCP into small containers of fruits.
28Mike Mazie oversees BelleHarvest, a large apple packing facility in Belding, Michigan.
29He ordered around 3,000 of the packets this year to use for apples that could not fit inside rooms treated with the compound.
30"If you can get another week out of a bushel of apples, why wouldn't you?" he said.
31"It absolutely makes a difference.
32The science is promising, but it is only part of the solution, said Yvette Cabrera.
33She is the director of food waste for the Natural Resources Defense Council.
34Most food waste happens at home, she said.
35Reducing food sizes, buying smaller quantities, or improving the accuracy of freshness date could have even more effects than new technology.
36"Overall as a society, we don't value food as it should be valued," Cabrera said.
37I'm John Russell.
1Restaurants, farmers, and food businesses are turning to chemistry and physics to deal with the problem of food waste. 2Some companies are testing coverings to slow the ripening process in fruit and packets to keep food fresh. Others are developing digital sensors that can tell when meat is safe to eat. 3Background 4Experts say growing awareness of the costs of food waste has led to more efforts to deal with the problem. ReFed is a group that studies food waste. It says new businesses have raised $300 billion in 2021, double the amount raised in 2020, to deal with the problem. 5The group estimates that in 2019, around 35 percent of food available in the U.S. - worth about $418 billion - went unsold or uneaten. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says that food waste is the largest kind of material placed in local waste areas. And the agency notes that rotting food releases methane, a gas that is not good for the environment. 6ReFed estimates 225,000 kilograms of food could be kept out of waste areas each year with special, high-tech coverings. 7Many companies are working on ways to help reduce food waste. 8Sweden-based Innoscentia is developing a sensor that can show if meat is safe to eat by measuring the buildup of microbes inside its container. And Ryp Labs, based in the U.S. and Belgium, is working on a sticker for fruits and vegetables that would release gas to slow ripening. 9SavrPak has developed a plant-based packet that can fit inside a container and take in moisture, helping keep the food inside hotter and crispier. 10Issues 11But the cost can be a barrier for some companies and shoppers. Kroger, the largest food-store company in the U.S., ended its deal with Apeel Sciences this year. The deal ended because Kroger said shoppers were not willing to pay more for fruits with Apeel's special covering to keep them fresh. 12Apeel says its special covering is made of common food additives. It says treated avocados can last a few extra days, while treated oranges can last for several weeks. The company says that it continues to talk to Kroger about other future technology. 13Another big issue is how to deal with different care requirements for different kinds of food to prevent waste. 14"There is no one major change that can improve the situation," said Randy Beaudry of Michigan State University's school of agriculture. 15Beaudry said the complexity of the issue has caused some food waste projects to fail. He added that it is also hard to sort out which technology works best since new companies do not always share data with outside researchers. 16Some companies find it better to use proven technology in new ways. 17For example, Chicago-based Hazel Technologies has been selling a chemical compound, called 1-MCP, that is used in a room to slow the ripening process in fruit. The company now sells packets that can slowly release 1-MCP into small containers of fruits. 18Mike Mazie oversees BelleHarvest, a large apple packing facility in Belding, Michigan. He ordered around 3,000 of the packets this year to use for apples that could not fit inside rooms treated with the compound. 19"If you can get another week out of a bushel of apples, why wouldn't you?" he said. "It absolutely makes a difference. 20The science is promising, but it is only part of the solution, said Yvette Cabrera. She is the director of food waste for the Natural Resources Defense Council. 21Most food waste happens at home, she said. Reducing food sizes, buying smaller quantities, or improving the accuracy of freshness date could have even more effects than new technology. 22"Overall as a society, we don't value food as it should be valued," Cabrera said. 23I'm John Russell. 24Dee-Ann Durbin reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for VOA Learning English. 25_______________________________________________________________ 26Words in This Story 27ripen - v. to become ripe and ready to eat 28packet - n. a small, thin package 29moisture - n. a small amount of a liquid (such as water) that makes something wet or moist 30crisp - adj. pleasantly firm and making a sharp sound when chewed or crushed 31pack - v. to put (something) into a box or other container so that it can be moved, stored, or protected 32bushel - n. a unit for measuring an amount of fruit and grain that is equal to about 35.2 liters in the U.S. and to about 36.4 liters in the U.K.