What is food waste?
More than 25% of food produced is wasted: "In Ireland we waste about 750,000 tonnes of food each year, according to current best estimates", EPA 2023. The EU defines food waste as food that is 'lost or wasted along the whole food supply chain, on the farm, in processing and manufacture, in shops, in restaurants and canteens and in the home." While it can be a little complex to define what is or is not food waste, a definition could be simply that food waste is food that is not eaten.
Our project goals are:
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To educate culinary and hotel schools about how food waste can be reduced with improved use of technology;
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To educate culinary and hotel schools about how technological improvements can support campus food growing and food miles reduction;
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To improve circularity of food waste in hotel schools through composting, gas harvesting and added value products.
How can technology assist with the reduction of food waste?
We commenced FoodTuristic in November 2023 by identifying accessible and affordable technologies that culinary and hospitality schools could purchase and implement to reduce food waste in their kitchens. These technologies will help hotel schools to grow food on campus, reduce food waste, and reuse and repurpose any existing waste produce.
Some examples of these technologies include:
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Digital platforms for distributing unsold/ unconsumed food
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Artificial Intelligence monitored food waste bins which measure and report on food waste by food type
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Anaerobic digesters for creating compost on site
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Virtual Reality for inspirational case studies on food waste reduction
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Novel on-site composting systems, such as bokashi fermentation
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Ceramic filters for refrigerators which increase shelf life of fresh produce
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Indoor vertical farming
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Smart freezers
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Adding value to existing food produce by repurposing food waste (e.g. pumpkin seed oil)
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Vacuum packing and sealing food in gases
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Polytunnel installations and monitoring so only what's to be eaten is picked
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Ethylene reduction stickers - the gas which speeds up fruit ripening
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.