Here’s how many kilograms of food a statistical Lithuanian throws: an expert advises to look at the expiration date on the packaging completely differently
Millions of tonnes of food are emitted, one of the biggest problems in the most developed countries today. The European Union (EU) alone is estimated to emit around 88 million tonnes a year. tons of food. In Lithuania, this problem is also worrying. According to the latest data, each of us throws away an average of 60 kg of food each year.
Lithuania is seeking change
According to waste accounting data, the amount of food waste in our country is currently growing rapidly. In order to achieve the ambitious goal of the United Nations sustainable development – to reduce food waste per capita in the world by 50 percent by 2030 – a national waste prevention and management plan was drawn up last year, the goals of which should be implemented in 2021–2027.
According to this plan, it is intended to promote the collection of food waste and to educate and inform the population about the importance of sorting and managing biodegradable waste. It is also planned to install a separate collection system for food and kitchen waste by 2024. By 2024, it is expected that in our country it will be possible to sort food waste in residential areas of all cities.
It is also gratifying that in Lithuania it is planned to expand and improve the control systems for the generation and management of biodegradable production waste, including sorting waste generated in public catering establishments.
It is proposed to apply food donation, food sharing or charity to the problem of food waste. It is also encouraged to improve the legal framework for the use and distribution of food and to set requirements to ensure food waste and waste prevention. It is proposed to announce individual sales, to promote measures of energy efficiency in the public catering sector, to ensure the use of unused food for animal feed.
Food waste
© Photo by the organizers
In this plan, one of the possible options for the prevention of the circular economy and food waste is the application of a reduced VAT rate and support for transportation by donating surplus food and products to deprived persons and charities.
Not wasting food – the mission
Almost everyone would want to throw away less food, but it is not the easiest thing to do. Ana Čiudinienė, Quality Manager of Rimi Lietuva, says that if you set a goal not to waste food for the new year, you should plan your visits to supermarkets every time.
“It simply came to our notice then. Avoid stacking the refrigerator so that food on one shelf touches the top shelf. This can disrupt the circulation of cool air in the refrigerator and cause the products to spoil more quickly. If fresh food has still not been consumed by the end of its shelf life, freeze it. Freezing is a way of preserving food to help it not be wasted. If possible, store in the original package, as this package will be designed to preserve the freshness of the food. This is very important for meat products in a vacuum, as well as for fruits and vegetables, the packaging of which can change the shelf life of the product, ”he said very much.
Ana Čiudinienė
The specialist advises to always cool the prepared food before placing it in the refrigerator or freezer. Otherwise, according to her, the temperature of the refrigerator or freezer of the food produced and not cooled will rise. This will reduce the freshness of other foods in the refrigerator that need to be stable in temperature. The same condition, according to her, applies to the frequency of the opening of the refrigerator door or the long storage of the open door. Fluctuations in temperature adversely affect foods, which can begin to spoil more quickly.
“I advise you not to keep it in the fridge, because that’s how they lose their tomato. Apples emit ethylene gas, so all the fruits and vegetables placed next to them will ripen faster, then faster and spoil. But if you want to ripen the avocado – put it next to the apples and after a day or you like to taste the ripe fruit. In order not to waste food, it is necessary to remember that potatoes placed in a bright environment begin to turn green, ”says A. Čiudinienė.
A, it is important to wash fruits and vegetables just before her, because water promotes the spoilage process. The specialist advises you to freeze unused food to avoid wasting food.
The most important thing is the right temperature
The quality manager of Rimi Lietuva states that the general storage conditions of food products are very important for maintaining the freshness of food, and the temperature is very important for those who are perishable. When keeping food, its freshness is maintained.
“It’s very important how long you keep food in the fridge and freezer. It is best to keep it in the refrigerator at 0 ° C to 5 ° C and in the freezer at -18 ° C to -20 ° C. It is also important that the food is satisfied in a stable place to allow for fluctuations. “Leafy or herbs will stay fresh longer at 3 ° C, for example,” says the salad.
The specialist advises that if you are not sure about the accuracy of the temperature parody of your refrigerator or freezer, purchase a more control thermometer to monitor the temperature readings. According to her, the higher the shelf of the refrigerator, the higher the temperature.
“It simply came to our notice then. For example, raw meat, fish and seafood must be stored on lower shelves because they have a lower storage temperature than dairy products. Butter and cheese are less perishable, so it’s best to keep them on top shelves where it’s warmer. Store food ready to eat on the middle shelves of the refrigerator, ”she advises.
To continue, they also need to be stored properly by a specialist. According to her, fruits and vegetables will stay fresh longer if you keep them in the right moisture. Vegetables can “like” moisture, and most fruits are low. If your refrigerator drawer has a humidity switch, be sure to switch it to high humidity for vegetables and ground humidity for fruit. If you don’t have a switch or only have one drawer, it’s best to store vegetables in it.
The date on the package is indicative only
It is not uncommon for all foods that we have not been able to eat to travel to the trash and expired. According to A. Čiudinienė, Quality Manager of Rimi Lietuva, this is a big mistake.
“One of the biggest misconceptions about the food industry is that you can’t eat after it’s expiration date. The expiry date stated on the product packaging is for guidance only. “Best before …” is usually affixed to perishable dry food packaging, such as groats, flour, pasta, as well as canned, dried foods, etc. Many of these foods have the words “Best before …” they are still safe to use, but their quality may already have deteriorated, for example, a weakened aroma, ”says the specialist.
The statement “Expiry date …” indicates to the consumer that the food is perishable and may present an immediate risk to health in the short term. This label is usually used to label fresh, chilled foods such as meat and meat products, fish, dairy products, unpasteurized fruit juices.
“Such products can only be bought as much as is planned to be consumed in the near future, and the expiration date next to ‘Expiry date’ may make food unsafe, so the use of such products is not recommended,” she said.
In 2021, Rimi Lietuva returned as much as 665 tons of unsold food to Maisto Bankas. The company strives to keep as little food as possible and to return as much unpurchased food as possible to the Food Bank. In order to reduce waste, the company leaves the remaining food not delivered to the company, which produces biogas from its waste.
Household appliances for maintaining the freshness of food
According to Igno Bernoto, Electrolux’s head of training and home appliances, every person whose personal comfort is inseparable from global problems such as food waste should have a food vacuum in their kitchen. This sucks the air out of the special packaging, thus stopping or slowing down the processes that affect any food preparation. Thanks to it, vacuumed products retain their odor and shelf life longer.
“As far as food waste is concerned, it is important to note that some of the containers that come with the devices have a data setting function. This way you can keep an eye on the food being stored and be sure it won’t fail and will not be thrown away. In addition, the vacuuming process is very simple: the device is placed on special and clicks in one connection, and when the vacuum device is reached, the device is attached, ”says I. Bernotas, adding that the vacuum keeps the capacity for no longer than 5.
Ignas Bernotas
Another real helper in the kitchen if you don’t want to throw away food is the steam oven. According to I. Bernotas, the great advantage of such ovens lies in the steam itself, because thanks to them the food not only heats up quickly, but also does not dry out, thus not only preserving but also enhancing the taste properties.
“Some steam ovens have a special program for heating, which is a really great and convenient solution to avoid wasting food. True, when heating, pay attention to all the functions of the steam, for example, medium humid steam is perfect for heating various baked goods and cakes – they will become pleasantly moist, but not wet. Use full steam for products that tend to dry out more in the refrigerator, such as pasta, potatoes, rice. This intensity of steam is perfect for “revitalizing” these products, “advises a home appliance expert.
The steam oven is also perfect for reheating a dish that has already been prepared for a few days. The interlocutor says that such a device can be cooked, half or fully fried and even roasted. According to him, in the future there would be more home appliances in the market to promote his responsible appliance.