Food Waste in the U.S.
In most of the global north, especially here in the states produce is only import if it is literally perfect. Bananas, apples, etc are not allowed to have any blemishes at all. If an item of food happens to have any imperfections it is sadly tossed into the trash. This waste is generated at all stages between growth and selling it in stores. When harvesting a crop, if that crop has grown in an unusual way they will throw it out. Let's say a banana gets past the first inspection at harvest time, if it comes to the grocery store with the even the slightest bruise it won't be placed on the shelves. There is nothing with the banana and it is still edible, but it won't be given away.
Now this wouldn't be that concerning if someone got the produce but grocery stores aren't even allowed to give away this food to people in need. Some stores go as far as locking up their garbage bins so ensure that even the most desperate of hungry people can't get in.
Some commons reasons produce gets rejected by grocery stores is as follows:
- If produce doesn't fit a standard size it will be rejected. If it is too small or even if it is too big. If the items don't fit into a standard case they will be tossed.
- Misshapen produce is tossed because it doesn't fit our aesthetics and doesn't look like the picture perfect apple or pepper. If an apple can't stand up, then it is seen as inferior and thrown out even though an apple doesn't have to stand up to be eaten.
- If there are too many marks on the produce skin, such as bananas mentioned earlier. If a pear hits another during transit and get a little scratch, it will be taken to the garbage.
- Unknown fruit goes to waste as well. If the consumer is not taught what an item is then it is less likely to be placed into stores and will get thrown out. For example, broccoli leaves get thrown out because people only want broccoli crowns.
- If the color is off at all. For supermarkets it's all about the look of their produce aisle. Produce can come in many shades and is just as good for you either way. Sometimes watermelon gets sunburned or squash become discolored from their placement on the ground.
- An over abundance of a crop. If our market is flooded with say carrots, then a lot of carrots will get left on the farm rotting because it is cheaper then sending them to the market.
This all leads to massive food waste. We have enough food being grown in the united States right now that could literally feed all the hungry people in the world. Just recovering 30% of this wasted food we could feed the populations of all the Americas combined. Food is wasted at the farm, in transit, at the stores, and in our homes. 40% of all the food produced in the states goes uneaten and to waste. Imperfect Produce states that produce that is imperfect accounts for 20 billion pounds of waste every year. Growing food that is only going into the trash uses up 21% of our freshwater and 18% of our land available for crops. This massive food waste is also contributing to climate change through the release of methane gas when a crop decomposes. It is said by the Project Drawdown that reducing food waste can dramatically help to mitigate global warming. If you think this doesn't affect farmers than you'd be wrong. Farmers having to leave crops on their land instead of sending it to market has a detrimental effect on their livelihoods. The same effect can be seen in individual households as well. When we over consume and over buy produce and other food items we end up throwing out a lot of bought food and experiences a financial loss. It can be found that a family of four throws out a bit over $1,800 worth of food a year.
Source: https://www.imperfectproduce.com/why-ugly-fruit-imperfect
