Summary
Food processing waste should be disposed of or recycled promptly; otherwise, it becomes an excellent nutrient medium for harmful organisms. Different types of wastes may be recycled in various ways or processed further. Despite the existing body of knowledge, there are several gaps in research regarding waste management. In particular, the possibility of optimizing anaerobic digestion should be studied to determine whether it may allow greater cost-efficiency and result in a new approach for generating renewable energy.
Also, some researchers believe that it is necessary to investigate fruit and vegetable waste and bioactive components found in it. Moreover, different countries employ various approaches to waste management, which results in the fact that some countries are more productive than other ones, and this difference does not allow addressing the issue effectively.
Introduction
Ineffective waste management in food processing is an urgent problem not only for the food industry and trade but also for society as a whole. This is because many foods have a limited shelf life, after which they may become dangerous to humans. Apart from that, inefficient food waste management poses a threat to the environment since such wastes fall under the category of biological waste (Frenkel et al. 1034).
Therefore, they are an excellent nutrient medium for various types of microbes, fungi, and other harmful organisms. Even though countries use a variety of ways to manage waste, the research suggests that they are not sufficiently effective and the accumulating waste poses a danger to the well-being of the population. The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into the issue and explicate why the research gaps require immediate attention from the side of the scientific community.
General Points
There are various types of food processing waste that need to be disposed of or recycled promptly. First, it is the waste that is left from the production of goods (after raw materials have been sorted). Enterprises need to get rid of food waste using the services of firms specializing in this field. Second, part of the food waste comes from canteens, kitchens, cafes, and restaurants, and this is the waste that is formed during the preparation of food, as well as the food that has lost its consumer properties (Swadimath et al. 28). Third, these are poor-quality products, including the ones that have expired or lost their nutritional value as a result of the influence of various factors. Fourth, waste includes defective food products, which have appeared due to damage to the packaging, poor temperature regulation, and other reasons.
Food packaging wastes are another critical issue that needs to be addressed. It should be noted that, in general, food production and processing cause various types of emissions, which negatively affect the environment (Young et al. 2). For instance, Heller et al. stressed that “food produced and not eaten has an annual carbon footprint of 3.3 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents” (2). However, there are multiple other types of wastes and emissions that appear during food production and consumption.
Existing Gaps
According to the research conducted by Usubiaga et al., the measures taken by the US and European countries are not effective enough to address the issue of excessive food waste generated by states (582). The amount of food being produced is growing, and it does not correlate with the amount of waste being processed, which continues to increase the scale of environmental problems (Usubiaga et al. 582). Food wastes must be a crucial raw material for livestock farms since they can be used as feed for animals. All enterprises where food waste is generated collect it, separate it from other waste and send it for further processing or utilization. In particular, not only enterprises but also organizations such as educational institutions and universities are involved in this process.
However, not all waste can be used for feeding livestock, and the composition and amount of waste changes depending on the time of year, patterns of nutrition, and other factors. The research by Lasell suggests that other methods such as “sharing as a means of prevention” may be employed to tackle food waste (430). Thus, it may be assumed that the effects of correct consumer behavior should be studied to determine whether they will positively affect waste management at the prevention stage.
Notably, many researchers stress that preventive measures should not be the focus of waste management. In particular, Meegoda et al. discuss the possibility of optimizing anaerobic digestion to achieve greater cost-efficiency (1).
The team mentions that this approach has been used successfully for many years and proved to be effective in managing waste. However, they suggest employing it as a method that can “generate renewable energy and divert organic wastes from landfills” (Meegoda et al. 1). In their turn, Sagar et al. believe that the research should aim at investigating the potential of fruit and vegetable waste and bioactive components found in it (512). Therefore, future research is needed to determine whether these two approaches will allow for reaching greater sustainability.
The research by Gille has revealed another crucial aspect in need of scientific attention (27). According to the study, countries have different approaches to waste management in food processing and this “will likely exacerbate existing inequalities” (Gille 27). Many European countries, such as Sweden, recycle most of the food processing waste. Only a small part of it is combusted or taken to landfills. Japan is a country the territory of which is too small to be used for landfills, and most of the waste is recycled. The approach employed by Russia is significantly different from that of other states (Gille 32).
The total amount of unrecycled waste reaches billions of tons; some of it is toxic. Waste sorting is a prerequisite for its deep processing and effective management. However, in Russia, this method is rarely used, which significantly complicates further waste management. Thus, even though food waste management is an international problem, there is no global way that could be applied by all countries (Finn 992). This world-wide solution must be affordable for all countries regardless of their economic or any other potential.
Concluding Remarks
Thus, it can be concluded that waste management in food processing is an issue of paramount importance. Effective practices that could be employed at the international level are central to a safer environment and emissions reduction. Moreover, there is a gap in knowledge regarding preventive measures. Further on, research is needed to determine whether optimizing anaerobic digestion and extraction of bioactive components from fruit and vegetable waste may become the possible measures for combating this global problem.
Works Cited
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