The German Frozen Foods Institute (dti) has signed the “Basic Agreement for the Reduction of Food Waste” between the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) and other associations from the food industry. This voluntary, national agreement between the business community and the federal government aims to implement the United Nations goal 12.3., agreed in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, of halving food waste in retail and private households and reducing it along the entire food supply chain.
dti was one of the first associations to sign the basic agreement at an early stage: the deep-freeze industry, with its efficient processing processes and the advantages of shock freezing offers an optimal solution in the fight against food waste.
“We support the political goals with deep conviction, because frozen foods show advantages in resource conservation at every processing and marketing level. But not all consumers are aware of this. We therefore expect political support for consumer education,” says Dr. Sabine Eichner, managing director of dti. “Around 11 million tons of avoidable food waste are generated in Germany every year. The use of frozen products at home and in the hospitality industry already leads to less food waste. The long shelf life and good portionability of frozen food help all consumers to prepare food flexibly according to their personal needs. Frozen food can help all consumers in the simplest way implement more sustainable food consumption without having to forego important nutrients and vitamins. Thanks to the gentle shock freezing of fresh products a few hours after harvesting, slaughter or fishing, nutrients and vitamins are preserved without loss, without the addition of artificial preservatives,” Eichner added.