In the United States, nearly 34 million people are struggling to afford a nutritious diet, and rising food prices are only making the situation worse.
Recent data shows grocery costs have surged by 5.8% since last year, with certain staples like lettuce seeing a staggering 25% price increase. For many families, particularly those with young children, this means skipping meals or reducing portion sizes due to an inability to afford enough food. The challenges are even more pronounced in rural areas and the Southern U.S., with Black and Hispanic households disproportionately affected.
However, there’s a root cause of both hunger and rising food costs that could be easily prevented: food waste. It’s shocking to realize how much edible food is discarded each day—food that could be used to feed those in need.
The Scale of Food Waste
One-third of all food produced for human consumption is wasted. Most of this excess ends up in landfills, where it decomposes and releases harmful methane gases that contribute to climate change. The financial, environmental, and social implications of this waste are significant and far-reaching.
Some of the most commonly wasted foods include:
- Fruits and vegetables: 45% of all produce is discarded, which equates to 3.7 trillion apples.
- Fish and seafood: 35% of this category goes to waste, representing around 3 billion salmon.
- Meat: 20% of meat produced is wasted, amounting to the equivalent of 75 million cows.
While much of this waste occurs in homes and restaurants, a more significant problem lies in the early stages of the food supply chain. After crops are harvested, they can spoil quickly due to improper handling during transportation and manufacturing, leading to price hikes and even more food waste.
The Key to Solving the Problem: Pre-Cooling and the Cold Chain
The good news is that scientists have discovered a solution to help extend the shelf life of perishable foods: pre-cooling. This critical process involves quickly removing heat from freshly harvested produce to prevent microbial growth, which accelerates decay. By cooling produce immediately after harvest and then transporting it in refrigerated trucks, we can significantly reduce spoilage.
This process is part of what is known as the cold chain—a coordinated series of events that ensures food remains at optimal temperatures throughout its journey from farm to table. Maintaining a consistent cold chain is crucial, as even a small delay in getting produce into a temperature-controlled environment can shorten its shelf life by an entire day for every hour of delay.
To keep produce fresh and of high quality, it’s important to not only maintain the cold chain but also streamline the process. This is where consolidation centers come into play. These centers help streamline the distribution of perishable goods from a single location, reducing the risk of cold chain disruptions by minimizing the number of times refrigerated trucks are loaded and unloaded. By doing so, consolidation centers help prevent the waste of millions of vegetables while also keeping prices down for consumers.
Investing in Infrastructure to Prevent Food Waste
Currently, most cold storage facilities are small-scale, privately owned by growers and shippers. Of the approximately 2,000 cold storage facilities in the U.S., more than half are outdated, dating back to the 1970s or earlier. These facilities need substantial upgrades to support a more efficient and modern food supply system.
PHT Investment Group, the first and only alternative investment firm in the nation focused exclusively on the post-harvest infrastructure sector, is investing in building and upgrading cold chain infrastructure to ensure that fresh produce stays fresh and waste is minimized.
The Financial and Environmental Cost of Food Waste
At present, approximately 1.3 billion metric tons of food are wasted every year, resulting in a global financial loss of $1 trillion. Without significant intervention, food waste is projected to increase to 2.1 billion metric tons by 2030, with a financial toll of $1.5 trillion annually.
The solution is clear: improving food storage and transportation through pre-cooling and better cold chain management can make a significant difference. By extending the shelf life of produce, we not only reduce waste but also help make healthier food more accessible to those in need, reducing hunger and supporting a more sustainable food system for all.
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