In its latest conference called „The Ultimate Solution to Food Waste”, organized on April 23rd, PROFEL (European Association of Fruit and Vegetable Processing Industries) invited policymakers, researchers and industry representatives to participate in an open debate where new sustainability thought leadership concepts were presented.
At the forefront of the debate was the need to acknowledge the active contribution that the existing food preservation technologies, canning and freezing, are playing to reduce food waste. Food industry leaders call upon policymakers to acknowledge the power of frozen and canned vegetables in the battle to reduce food waste.
Senior representatives from Europe’s leading frozen and canned vegetable producers met with opinion formers and decision makers from Global and EU institutions, to hear how long established Food Preservation Methods such as freezing and canning have been overlooked as critical enablers in the battle to reduce levels of Food Waste.
Frozen and canned vegetables have a considerably longer shelf life than chilled or fresh food and don’t need added preservatives. Research has shown that these products can play a crucial role in helping Europeans reduce their spiralling levels of food waste in the home.
The techniques of freezing and canning foodstuffs were developed many years ago, specifically to respond to a need to preserve food and to avoid waste. These are tried and tested methods of preservation, using cold or heat to lock-in the natural characteristics of the products, without additives. Extended shelf-life and convenient portion control are just two examples of how canned and frozen vegetables can help to reduce food waste.
In hosting this summit, entitled Preserved Vegetables: the ultimate solution to food waste?, PROFEL has taken a proactive stance, to bring a clear message to key opinion formers: Responsibility for reducing food waste lies with the food industry, the supply chain and with consumers. However, opinion formers and policy decision makers, also play a crucial role in guiding all stakeholders, from governments to consumers.
We call on them all to support the ‘easy wins’ that the preserved vegetable sector can deliver in the battle to reduce food waste. The preserved vegetable sector looks forward to continuing the discussion with other stakeholders and welcomes questions and contributions, as this is a unique opportunity to define solutions to food waste.