How we're fighting food waste and helping to feed vulnerable communities

News release | 20-May-2024

A revolutionary food waste project will divert tonnes of fresh food from landfill and use it to provide meals for vulnerable communities.

The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) has partnered with Brisbane-based not-for-profit FareShare and End Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre to develop nutritionally balanced, long shelf-life meals using rescued food.

The meals will be made from at least 95 per cent rescued food, including fresh produce from surplus farm crops.

FareShare currently converts rescued food into delicious, nutritious frozen meals, providing much-needed support to Australians experiencing food insecurity. But the transportation and storage of frozen food has limitations where power supply is challenging in remote communities or during disaster relief.

Freeze drying or retorting (cooking in package) fresh foods can significantly extend shelf life and alleviates the requirement for refrigerated or frozen storage.

The meals will help vulnerable members of the community, including those experiencing food insecurity and homelessness, people in remote communities, and can be utilised during natural disasters.

DAF consumer sensory and product development scientists will ensure the meals are nutritionally balanced, retain their quality during processing, look good, taste good and can be easily prepared.

It is estimated the project will rescue between 80,000 and 100,000 kilograms of food waste in the first year of operation, and up to 150,000 kilograms by the second year. This equates to 200,000 complete meals in the first year, and up to 375,000 complete meals by the second year.

At full capacity, there is potential for 500,000 kilograms of food to be processed per annum.
By the project's end, it is anticipated FareShare will be manufacturing at least 500 extended shelf-life meals daily.

Quotes attributable to DAF Food Technologist Patricia Lindeman:

"DAF is working towards creating as much value as we can from what we produce here in Queensland," Ms Lindeman said.

"A key mission of the Queensland Government is nutrition delivery, and ensuring every community in Queensland has access to good quality produce and nutritious foods."

Quotes attributable to FareShare Executive Director, Fiona Maxwell:

"This collaborative project will enable FareShare to develop a new range of tasty, nutritious, shelf stable meals, as they require no chilled transport or storage," Ms Maxwell said.

"These meals are especially suited to disaster relief and can be delivered into remote communities ahead of seasonal weather events, when supply chains can be disrupted for weeks at a time."

Quotes attributable to End Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre CEO Dr Steven Lapidge:

"Australia produces enough food to feed 75 million people a year. Yet, millions of Australians go hungry regularly. Fighting food waste can help fight food insecurity," Dr Lapidge said.

"We're proud to support this important project that will enable increased volumes of food to reach people in need instead of going to waste."

ENDS

Media contact: DAF Media, [email protected]

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