Frozen technologies such as IQF can help reduce wastage in the global fruit and vegetables market, reports Jonathan Thomas.
Global demand for fresh produce remains at high levels, with fruit and vegetables representing key components of most diets. Global production of fresh produce is worth around 2.1 billion tonnes per annum, split by fresh vegetables (1.7 billion tonnes) and fresh fruit (935 million tonnes).
Recent growth has been driven by higher demand for natural products containing as few additives as possible, as well as foods naturally rich in the various vitamins and minerals, as well as increasing popularity of plant-based diets, greater uptake of fruit-based products as snacks and heightened consumer interest in ethnic cuisine. The market has also benefited from the development of a more organised retail industry in developing countries better able to store fresh produce.
Another of the main drivers within the global market for frozen fruit and vegetables is the pressing need to reduce food waste, which can often happen with fresh items. This remains an ongoing global problem – according to data from the United Nations (UN), up to 19% of all food production worldwide is wasted, equivalent to around 1.3 billion tonnes.
Around 60% of global food waste happens at the household level, with the remainder taking place within the retail, industrial and foodservice channels. The world’s households waste an estimated 1 billion meals’ worth of edible food every day, the total annual cost of which is worth in the region of USD1 trillion. Furthermore, food loss and wastage accounts for up to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, as well as incurring significant and ultimately unnecessary costs for land, energy and water use, labour, etc.
The fresh produce industry is a major contributor towards global food waste. It is estimated that around 45% of all fruit and vegetables produced worldwide go to waste every year. Much of this happens during the post-harvest stage, when fruit and vegetables are susceptible to spoilage and/or damage during transportation and storage.
At the consumer level, many people are frequently inclined to discard fruit or vegetables due to their lack of visual appeal or the fact that they do not conform to expected cosmetic standards, even though they are still perfectly edible.
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