Food waste remains a significant challenge, particularly in the agro-food processing sector. In 2024, this sector in Canada generated approximately 4.82 million tonnes of waste, most of it organic (Made in CA)(EREF).
Despite efforts in waste management, the agro-food industry struggles to handle its food waste properly. This is why adequate waste sorting must be implemented. Prorec, specializes in the recovery and reuse of agro-food waste. We help businesses reduce and monetize food residues from processing plants.
Understanding Food Waste in the Food Industry
The food industry faces significant challenges with food waste, which have profound environmental impacts and economic consequences. The production and disposal of surplus food utilize natural resources unnecessarily and contribute to increased food prices.
Key Causes of Food Waste in the Industry
Food waste in the food industry arises from various sources, ranging from overproduction and inefficient preferable practices to the mismanagement of perishable goods. Misunderstandings about the acceptable quality and appearance of food also lead to significant amounts of excess inventory being discarded. These issues are exacerbated by inadequate food waste tracking systems within food processing environments.
The culture of food abundance in contrast to areas experiencing food scarcity further complicates the narrative, promoting an attitude towards food waste that prioritizes abundance over necessity. This, paired with fluctuating food prices, encourages food processors to produce in excess, often more than what can realistically be consumed before spoilage.
The Role of Food Manufacturing and Processors
Food manufacturers and processors are central to the solution for reducing food waste. By managing food surpluses through the EPA’s Food Recovery Hierarchy, businesses can significantly mitigate the environmental impacts of food production. This hierarchy emphasizes the importance of reducing excess food production initially and rerouting surplus nutritious food to food banks and other charitable organizations as a secondary measure.
Food producers can implement more robust food waste management systems that focus on various aspects of food production. By adhering to food regulations and redirecting extra food that would otherwise contribute to emissions from food production, manufacturers can not only decrease their environmental footprint but also enhance community food security.
Through targeted actions and sustainable practices, the food industry can lead in reducing the effects of food waste, setting a standard for responsible resource management and ethical food production.
The EPA’s Food Recovery Hierarchy provides a useful framework for prioritizing strategies to address this issue. This hierarchy emphasizes the following steps: reducing waste at the source, feeding people, feeding animals, industrial uses, composting, and lastly, disposal.
EPA’s Food Recovery Hierarchy and Its Priorities
- Source Reduction: The first priority in managing food waste is reducing the amount generated in the first place. Businesses in the agro-food sector should evaluate their operations to minimize food waste through better planning and procurement practices. Prorec helps illustrate how the food processing sector works by not only reducing waste, but also creating value from by-products.
- Feed People: Before discarding food, food businesses should focus on redistributing surplus food to people in need, like with food donations. This step is crucial in enhancing food security while addressing food waste.
- Feed Animals: After ensuring people are fed, the next priority is to divert food waste to animal feed and other livestock. Prorec specializes in converting certain food by-products like dairy, and plant waste into high-value protein sources for animal consumption. This adds an additional revenue stream for businesses through waste valorization.
By-products from Waste Valorization
The valorization of agro-food waste not only reduces disposal costs but also creates new revenue streams by converting waste into raw materials, for example. Or for instance: Some food waste, such as dairy and plant products, can be transformed into energy, proteins or other grain substitute for animal feed.
How to Transform Organic Waste into Fertilizer?
For organic residues, transforming waste into fertilizer is an essential step in the hierarchy, under industrial uses. This conversion helps reduce reliance on chemical fertilizers, supports sustainable agriculture, and meets the increasing demand for food products by cutting disposal costs. The transformation process involves converting organic waste into nutrient-rich compost, a natural soil amendment. However, it should be noted that composting should be a last resort before landfill disposal, as keeping food waste within the food supply chain or for animal feed is prioritized.
4 Uses of Food Waste Treatment
Proper management of food waste through food recycling can also lead to the production of renewable energy through innovative technologies.
- Biogas: Generated through the fermentation of organic waste, biogas is a renewable energy source, supporting circular processes.
- Bioethanol: A renewable fuel produced from agricultural products, supporting the circular economy.
- Vegetable Oil: Waste cooking oils can be transformed into biofuels or chemicals for various industrial applications.
- Animal Fat: A biofuel derived from animal fat products, used in industries such as biofuel production.
How to Implement Sustainable Practices to Avoid Food Waste?
- Avoid Food Destruction: Companies must adopt sustainable practices, such as reducing waste generation and properly managing the collection and treatment of waste.
- Use Innovative Packaging: Switching to renewable, recyclable, or, at the least, plastic packaging helps to further reduce the burden on landfills and supports environmental sustainability.
Stay Committed to Sustainable Waste Solutions: Choose Prorec
Prorec is at the forefront of recovery and reuse in the agro-food waste sector. Specializing in helping processors manage their food residues, Prorec contributes to circular agriculture while reducing landfill costs. With our tailored solutions, we help companies follow the EPA’s Food Recovery Hierarchy to ensure that food waste is managed effectively.
For more information on how Prorec can help your business reduce waste and generate value, contact us.
