KFC's edible cups

Picture :KFC


Not any ordinary cup (Instagram: jess13simpson)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/foodanddrinknews/11434220/KFC-to-offer-edible-coffee-cups.html

I came across this piece through some late night browsing and it sure is stirring up my apetite. KFC in the UK has rolled out this new creation of coffee in a cup made of biscuits and white chocolate for insulation. An edible biscuit cup filled with coffee, wrapped in sugar paper. Seemingly all the guilty pleasures in a mouthful, I would really love trying one.

Apart from stirring an apetite in me, this article also allowed me to admire how environmetally friendly this new product is. The ironic thing is that it is coming from a fastfood chain. And fastfood chains are infamous for the amount of waste they create; from the sheet of paper that lines the trays that nobody reads, to all the disposable packagings and utensils.

In my opinion, this creation of edible coffee cup would be a larger hit amongst consumers than the little Wikiballs. For one, KFC's coffee cup is actually something people actually familiar with and seems less intimidating than eating a little ball of icecream with a hard sugar covering.
Furthermore, it saves consumers the hassle of looking for a bin to dispose a usual cup. This would be most beneficial to the working population who are always in a rush but need a quick caffine fix on the go.

The best thing is that this product produces zero packaging waste! Take the amount of saved packaging materials multiplied by the projected amount of sales, this ingenious coffe cup could possibly cut back its carbon foot print by a significant amount. Assuming one literally finishes the entire cup, there would be zero food waste as well!

I am hoping that KFC might actually bring this creation to Singapore one day!

Blame Game.

Hello there! Thank you again for reading this blog! I hope it has given you some new insights! :) Today, I will be discussing where the root cause of the problem of food waste is at, and some possible approaches the people and governments can take. Do read on!

Like all problems, the question is who is to be blamed? I came across this journal article by Göbel et al. (2015) that suggested that looked at the supply side of food waste instead of the consumption side. The journal suggested that the reason for excessive food waste could be spread through the entire food supply chain, and may not be  Göbel based the conclusions off research on Germany's ( a developed nation's) food supply chain which can be modeled to many other developed nations.

Given the increase in world population as well as rising affluence, people are demanding more food and a greater variety of them. This then puts pressure on suppliers for more sustainable farming. As was previously mentioned, food wastage is also a waste of natural resources such as land, energy or water. It also contributes to unnecessary CO2 emissions. The effects of anthropogenic induced environmental impact and climate change threaten the livelihood of future generations.

__ identified a number of reasons for the wastage of food, below are some of them.

1) Process- and Market-Induced Standards Quality Requirements

It was concluded that marketing/retailer product quality standards as well as product specifications were the main causes of food waste. I mean as a consumer myself I understand the attraction towards optically attractive products, this is especially true for fresh produce like fruits and vegetables. One's minds automatically correlate good-looking fresh products to higher nutritional value and better taste. Unfortunately, that is not true. Because consumers prize cosmetic value when choosing fresh produce, retailers carry out strict quality control. They pick and market those visually appealing ones and throw out the those that are not. Even when there is nothing else that is wrong with the vegetable. This results in so much waste. 

Interestingly, when supply is sufficient even products with minor defects are rejected (with reference to standards) whereas in situations of reduced supply, products which would normally not be acceptable are accepted. This shows that the standards of quality are set largely by the demands and preferences of consumers and not actual nutritional values. This shows the huge loophole which results in so much food wastage. On top of that, there are already strict regulations on the quality of food products especially on processed food and meat. Many times, products are discarded because of health risks resulting from low quality or nutritional value.

Solution? Göbel also suggested that direct marketing may help ease the problem. This is because it involves fewer middle-men between grower and consumer, and so there are fewer quality checks, fewer restrictions on quality and less transport which might damage food.

2)  Market Convention

The determination of best-by dates. These properties do not necessarily say anything about the microbiological shelf life of a product, and products must not be disposed of at the end of the bestby dates. Often, the best-by date is often interpreted as an indicator of freshness, when in actual fact, the dates are often determined more by marketing than by product requirements. Thus customers tend to choose products with the longest best-by dates to obtain the freshest products, leaving those with earlier best-by dates on the shelves until they eventually expire. These expired food may sometimes be donated to the underprivileged, but not always. They may then be disposed of.

3) Availability of Food.

Due to strong price competition in saturated markets. There is price dumping between dealers, leading to low food prices. This is the reason why people in industrialized countries can afford to waste food It might be concluded that loss of food can be compensated quickly and inexpensively. A key reason for the loss along the entire food chain is the high expectation of constant availability of a broad range of fresh products. People do not appreciate or value the food items as much, thus are more willing to waste food.

4) Technology

Especially in the case of processed food and diary products, sometimes the machine malfunctions and the entire batch of food has to be thrown out. Resulting in humongous wastage.

Göbel also proposes a few solutions to these problems. Namely, to enhance processing and transportation, as well as food management. She also noted that regulations for structures and rules regarding best-by dates and labels should be standardised to avoid complications. It would also help if people were taught to appreciate food more.

References: 

Göbel, C., Langen, N., Blumenthal, A., Teitscheid, P., & Ritter, G. (2015). Cutting Food Waste through Cooperation along the Food Supply Chain.Sustainability, 7(2), 1429-1445. http://dx.doi.org.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/10.3390/su7021429

Edible Wrappers?!!

As the semester progresses, I'm starting to feel the toll of university life. From Hall commitments to catching up on school work, I find it increasingly difficult to wake up in time for lessons every morning. (Especially 8am lessons). Of course, this results in a mad rush to get ready and run down to the canteen to get myself some nosh before breakfast ends. Inevitably, I'll be asking for takeaway which comes in a disposable styrofoam box.

In Singapore, where everybody seems to always be in a rush, takeaway styrofoam or plastic boxes are something most of us cannot live without. The worse thing is that these styrofoam and plastics will not be accepted by recycling companies according to NEA's guidelines because they have been contaminated by food & liquid waste. Which is really such a waste due to the amounts of these materials we use for food packaging.

Why not create more biodegradable packaging? Or even edible wrappers which is actually already a thing. I did a quick google search and stumbled upon this article which stated that a Harvard Professor, David Edwards developed an type of edible food packaging known as WikiCells in 2012. It is a container that mimics the natural covering of fruits and vegetables. Food, both solid and liquid can be contained by it. The Wikicell even has customized flavoring to match the food that it packages. Thus far, it has been used to contain icecream, yogurt, soft drinks etc. Actually, the WikiCell has two layers of shells. The inner (soft) shell is completely edible whereas the outer shall may or may not be edible, depending on the kind of WikiCell and how it reaches the consumer. A completely edible outer shell would allow consumers like us  to just wash and eat it like an apple. On the other hand, the non-edible but completely biodegradable outer shell can be peeled off like the skin of an apple.

(Image courtesy of http://www.giantfreakinrobot.com/sci/edible-food-packaging-cut-plastic-waste.html)

I find the idea really amazing and ingenious, as this eliminates the need for a secondary (usually plastic) wrapper, Which not only is a waste of plastic but has the potential to cause even more damage to the environment if not disposed of properly. As quoted by Professor Edwards himself, " It's as shippable as a standard package"

WikiCell Yogurt. Image courtesy of WikiCells

However, while I feel that the WikiCells have the potential to be a viable alternative to plastic food packaging, I think that consumers might be apprehensive towards actually eating the WikiCells, Thus, its might take some time for it to catch on in the market. It is psychologically difficult to accept as we have been so obsessed about cleanliness and so used to removing wrapping and washing our food before eating it. This applies especially to those WikiCells with completely edible outer shells. Futhermore, they might not have enough knowledge of WikiCells to accept the idea,

I don't think the average consumer would feel safe just washing the WikiCell before eating, knowing that it has been shipped as it is without additional plastic packaging.

If this would be the case, plastic packaging would still be needed in order to ensure successful sales of the WikiCell and thus defeats the actual purpose of inventing the WikiCell in the first place.

Seeing as how it has been 3 years since the invention of WikiCell, and it hasn't really caught on, to consumers it must not have seemed like a viable alternative to the standard plastic packaging.

All in all, I believe the success of this edible packaging invention really depends on us, the consumers.

References:

National Environment Agency of Singapore (NEA) Vox. "Recycling" 2013

Spector, Dina. "Harvard Professor Tells Us The Full Implications Of Edible Food Packaging." Business Insider. August 30, 2012

Neccessary Evil Packagings

When I think of food wastage, another problem immediately comes to mind. And that is the food packaging. Research by Hawkins (2013) has shown that food packaging is a significant source of  solid waste. In my opinion, it is almost impossible to talk about food and waste without confronting the problem of packaging. Especially in this age where people are becoming increasingly concerned with hygiene and visual appearance of their food. I mean, think about eating an a pear. One would have to tear open the plastic bag or cardboard box that the pear comes in and remove the styrofoam net protecting the fruit before consumption of the food. So much waste is generated from packagings.




Not to mention Singaporean's favourite thing to do - takeaway food or "da pao" it. Often, takeaway containers are made of stryofoam or plastic which do not degrade easily and pollute the environment. Even when plastics degrade, there is the problem of microplastics in the soil leaking into the marine environments and disrupting the entire ecosystem. (Cole et al. 2013)

While packagings are unarguably used to extend the biological life of food, to manage scarcity or to facilitate exchange, until the early nineteenth century they were not used on a commercial scale. Throughout the nineteenth century, developments in canning and bottling developed rapidly in the major industrial nations of Europe, especially in response to the demands of population growth, urbanization and the expansion of navies and sea travel. In modern days, as urbanization and industrialization are becoming more prevalent, food production and distribution grew more complex. More people moving to cities needed more food which meant more transportation of food from rural regions that grew the food.


Hawkins (2013) also mentioned that packaging is generally hailed as one of the key developments affording protection against harmful bacteria, light, oxygen and contamination. Ironically(or not) it is also celebrated as an innovation that has significantl yreduced food waste by extending the biological life of food and delivering the edible components without all the excess elements.  Unfortunately,  the afterlife of the actual package has often been overlooked. This blindness to the waste impacts of packaging has been looked into more in the recent years with the rise of research into sustainable design, biomaterials and degradation cycle management..

On the hand, I feel that packaging has somewhat been abused as people become more affulent. Take hampers for example. 

Image from https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi23rESI2Wcs8Tt-SIc1O-kx67uHLn_crSGuoXiRkBVSgVx42YMyDsgTqL9TZvv9sh4DNGIyv7yjX-rBWONisL6jUtkfo8QU2EL_ijFcPwtcb9IUTLb7eN8CM0cUvYOVTNVOGfxD42uSEg/s1600/IMG_2471.JPG

I mean just look at the amount of plastics and printed cardboard used to decorate this thing. Not to mention cardboard backings and scotch tape to stack the food products up. Some may argue that this sort of exagerated gifts are unneccesary. However in the corporate world, such well packaged gifts are customary and even essential. For it not only shows manners but is a sign and display of appreciation. I mean, a sparsely wrapped bundle of expensive food items, without any decoration would hardly be considered appropriate in formal gift exchanges. Moreoever, it is often the intricate packaging that makes a quality product, a quality product.

Take Japan for example, they have the culture that values the aesthetic appeal of gifts. Take a look at the video on how Japanese gifts are usually wrapped!

I guess packaging can be considered a neccesary evil. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't put in effort to minimise the impacts of packaging waste on the environment! Do your part! In the easiest ways, avoid takeouts as much as possible or use a reusable plastic container. Minimise the use of plastic bags as well, or recycle them if you must! :)




References:

Hawkins, G. (2013). The performativity of food packaging: Market devices, waste crisis and recycling. The Sociological Review Sociol Rev,60(Supplement S2), 66-83. doi:10.1111/1467-954X.12038

Cole, M., Lindeque, P., Fileman, E., Halsband, C., Goodhead, R., Moger, J., & Galloway, T. (2013). Microplastic Ingestion by Zooplankton.Environmental Science & Technology Environ. Sci. Technol., 47(12), 6646–6655-6646–6655. doi:10.1021/es400663f.

Who would waste meat?

Did you know that throwing away meat is more harmful to the environment than wasting vegetables?

I mean really, who doesn't love meat? I know I sure do. However, there are time where people over order or cook dishes in the heat of the moment & end up not being able to finish them. Moreover, in the Asian culture, especially in black or white tie events, hosts would rather prepare extra food than have insufficient food. I understand, this is sometimes inevitable but there are ways to prevent this.

It is linked to the fact that meat is generally more expensive than vegetables. This is simply because more resources are required to raise an animal than to plant a crop. These resources include the water and fertilisers used to grow feed for the animals, land used to rear them, energy spent to process the meat and transport the meat. Energy used to operate coolers to preserve the meat etc. etc.

That's not to say that its okay to leave vegetable on your plate. The production of crops in argiculture also uses large amounts of resources. In fact in the US, water of agricultural use makes up about 80% of the Nation's consumptive water use according to the United States Department of Agriculture and Economic Research Service.

Research by Costello et al. (2015) also showed that the majority of greenhouse gas emissions occur in the production stages prior to the farm products' leaving the farm. The greenhouse gas emission estimates were measured from cradle (land preparation or animal birth) to farm gate (when the grain or animal was sent to a processing facility). Thus they are urging consumers to take special note when ordering or preparing meat. And to pay more attention to the type of food wasted, on top of the quantity wasted.

So the next time you decide you eat just half of your steak to save that extra few calories, know that it is more than just a waste of your own money!

Here's a tantalising picture of my dinner to whet your appetite! Remember, don't waste that meat! Or any kind of food for that matter.

References:

Costello, C., Birisci, E., & Mcgarvey, R. (2015). Food waste in campus dining operations: Inventory of pre- and post-consumer mass by food category, and estimation of embodied greenhouse gas emissions.Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems Renew. Agric. Food Syst., (1), 1-11. doi:10.1017/S1742170515000071

Insight

Thankfully, more people are recognising food wastage as a serious problem. Much effort is put into minimising food wastage nowadays.

The source of food wastage stems from many components in the food supply chain and not just one alone. Thus a combination of policies should be in place so as to counter the problem most effectively. Here is a little summary of the stakeholders and food supply chain involved in the problem of food wastage in Singapore.


Image taken from: the Food Bank Singapore Ltd.


Apart from the National Environment Agency, some non-goverenment organisations that are working to address the issue of food waste include the Food Bank Singapore Ltd, Singapore Environment Council and Food from the Heart. Business organisations like Singapore Hotel Association are also making constant efforts to solve the problem.

From a global outlook, the issue of food waste is also gaining prevalance. So much so that France's parliament has recently passed a law obliging supermarkets to give unsold food to charities or put it to other uses, such as animal feed, rather than disposing it.( National Catholic Reporter, 2015).
The law also binds large supermarkets to sign formal contracts with charities by July 2016, or face an $82,700 fine or two years in jail. As part of wider official efforts to halve the country's food waste by 2025, the law also includes educational programs on food waste for schools and businesses. 

In Singapore, there are no legally binding laws. However many supermarket giants like FairPrice Pte Ltd has their own programmes and campaigns to help combat the problem of food waste.



References:

National Catholic Reporter. 51.17 (June 5, 2015): p4.

Food waste a problem?

Growing up in an Asian family, I've been told since I was a child not to leave any food on my plate after meals or my husband will have a less than perfect complexion. I guess that was the way my parents taught me not to waste food, it also trained me to be less picky with my food. Unfortunately that may not be true for all. Especially in developed nations like Singapore, where food scarcity is the least of our worries. Furthermore, all Singaporeans being "kiasu" loves cheap food and sales. There is a tendency to overbuy and order more than what we can finish when food is cheap. 

As such, most people tend to take for granted the amount of food we have, and not think twice about throwing away any leftover food. Furthermore, in certain asian cultures, it is considered rude to finish everything on the plate as it indicates that the host hasn't provided sufficient food.

Unknown to most, food waste in Singapore is very real. In 2012, about 0.618 million tonnes of food were thrown away and only 12% was recycled. This means, on average, each person in Singapore generated about 116kg of food waste a year (NCCS Enewsletter 2013).  As seen the the graph below, our rate of recycling food has not been improving much over the years while total food waste output has increased significantly.


Image taken from http://www.todayonline.com/singapore/recycling-foodwaste-yet-catch-singapore

The amount of food waste generated in Singapore has increased by about 48% over the past decade and is expected to rise further ( NEA 2015). The National Environment Agency (NEA) said that besides population growth, a rise in tourist arrivals and increasing affluence had contributed to the problem. The ease of accessibility to food and increased food variety could also have worsened the wastage.


Infographic taken from FoodBank SG.



Infographic by Makan Mantra on the statistics of food waste in 2011.

This problem has permeated every link of the supply chain. From households, to restaurants, to hawker centres. Food is wasted when there is improper storage or handling, when edible food. is thrown away, when there are leftovers from cooking, or when we cannot finish our food. Furthermore, food waste contributes to about 10% of total solid waste each year in Singapore.This is a huge problem as food waste cause not only economic issues but environmental ones as well. Let me briefly go through some.

The economic issues that stem from food wastage are rather obvious. Besides the resources wasted in food production, transportation and packaging, even more cost is incurred to dispose of the unconsumed food. One example is the cost of fuel or energy to incinerate the food waste.

Next, the environmental issues. Again, unknown to most, food wastage actually contributes to climate change. This is because the production of food consumes vast quantities of water, fertilizer and land. Moreover, the fuel that is burned to process, refrigerate and transport it also adds to the environmental cost. Another cost is the landspace used to contain all the incinerated food waste like Pulau Semakau in Singapore.

In other countries where they do not incinerate leftover food, it decomposes and emits methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Globally, it creates 3.3 billion metric tons of greenhouse gases annually, about 7 percent of the total emissions, according to the report.

The United Nations agency points out that methane gas from the world’s landfills are surpassed in emissions by only China and the United States. This should be enough to call for some action to be taken to curb this problem. Moreover, this problem can be relatively easy to solve.

“Seven percent is not the largest contributor of greenhouse gasses, but it’s not an insignificant amount,” said Helen Mountford, the director of economics at the World Resources Institute.

Mountford also made another statement which I agree fully with -"Reducing food waste is one area where we can make a difference most easily." I mean, it literally starts with your personal everyday choices. How much to buy? What to buy? The solutions are really almost as simple as that.

Sadly, there is also a large ethical dimension to food waste since a large part of the world’s population is starving (Food and Agriculture Organisation of the UN, 2010). This may be attributed to inequity in distribution of food as well. As the much used phrase goes - "think about the starving children in Africa when you waste food!" In my opinion, however, the problem of distribution is a intricate one and difficult to pinpoint a culprit and find a solution.

References:

FACTSHEET ON FOOD WASTE MANAGEMENT. (2015, March 11). Retrieved August 31, 2015, from http://www.nea.gov.sg/docs/default-source/corporate/COS-2015/cos-2015-media-factsheet---food-waste.pdf?sfvrsn=0

NCCS ENEWSLETTER. (2013) Curbing Food Wastage in Singapore [Online] Available from: http://www.nccs.gov.sg/climatechallenge/issue05/ask-dr-green.html 

Nixon, R. (2015, February 26). Food Waste Is Becoming Serious Economic and Environmental Issue, Report Says. The New York Times, p. A18. Retrieved September 01, 2015, from http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/26/us/food-waste-is-becoming-serious-economic-and-environmental-issue-report-says.html?_r=1

The state of food insecurity in the world, 2010: Addressing food insecurity in protracted crises. (2010). Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Food wastage footprint

I stumbled upon this video while browsing through Youtube. I found it really impactful, it summarises the leftover food problem well, so I thought I'd share it here :) Enjoy!