Study: 50% of Food Is Wasted

  • 11 years ago
A study finds that 50% of food is wasted.

The United Kingdom’s Institution of Mechanical Engineers has released a study on how much produce and food is wasted by farmers, supermarkets, and consumers.

The results say that up to half of the food in the world is going to waste, between 30 and 50 percent.

They also say that in the UK, 30 percent of vegetables are not even harvested because of their physical appearance.

Doctor Tim Fox, head of energy and environment at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers said “The reasons for this situation range from poor engineering and agricultural practices, inadequate transport and storage infrastructure through to supermarkets demanding cosmetically perfect foodstuffs and encouraging consumers to overbuy.”

A different report done in the United States by the Natural Resources Defense Council found that Americans waste up to 40 percent of the food that is produced in the US.

All that food could be used to help feed hungry people.

About one out of every six Americans does not have a secure supply of food, but 25 million people could be fed by cutting down the amount of waste by just 15 percent.

What do you think? Why is all of this food being wasted?

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