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Maisto Bankas, together with Swedbank, started a survey of more than 1,000 people between the ages of 18 and 75.
“Food is wasted throughout the food production, marketing and consumption chain. Half of the food is lost before reaching homes, the other half is thrown at people. According to several surveys, each family throws away the largest amount of food per year that would fit in a standard bathroom, ”says Simonas Gurevičius, director of the Food Bank, presenting the survey data.
According to him, most of the compatriots throw away bread and bread. Respondents also indicated that they often spill milk, often discarding apples and tomatoes, lettuce and potatoes, bananas and other fruits. Curd and sour cream are the most commonly issued dairy products.
The reasons for wasting food are several.
S. Gurevičius mentions the exaggerated hospitality of his compatriots and the tendency to produce much more food than is actually needed as one of the main reasons for the increasing waste of food in Lithuania.
According to him, up to 42 percent. people say they throw away uneaten food at important family gatherings. Only slightly fewer people mentioned throwing out the rest of their daily meals as well. Reasons for forgetting what’s in the fridge or freezer are still a third of those surveyed. Another 20 percent. He said he buys too much, the other 15 percent. buys food in oversized packages.
According to the director of the Food Bank, some people throw away food for fear of poisoning and use the markings on the packaging to decide if the product is still fit for consumption.
However, specialists from the State Food and Veterinary Office (SFVS) warn that expiration marks on food products should be read more carefully, as people are often confused about their meanings and discard products that are suitable for the consumption for some time.
“Consumers do not always understand the differences in the use of expiration dates,” says Eglė Petrokienė, advisor to the SFVS Food Division.
What is the difference between fitness for use?
When you look at the food in your refrigerator and cupboards, you will see two different expiration dates or variations of them: “Best before …” and “Best before …”.
SFVS expert E. Petrokienė explains that these marks have two different meanings: one means the minimum service life and the other the maximum.
The indication “Best before …” or “Best before …” must appear on the packaging of perishable food products, such as groats, flour, pasta, as well as on canned food, dry food and the like.
This label provides information on the quality of food. At the end of the period indicated next to the inscription “Best before …”, foodstuffs are still safe to consume, but their quality may have already deteriorated, “says E. Petrokienė.
The “Use by …” label is a bit stricter: it indicates the exact term when the product becomes unsafe for use. At the end of this period, the consumption of food is no longer recommended, as it can be in poor condition and be harmful to health.
“Brand meat, fish or poultry products, semi-finished products or products, milk and dairy products, freshly squeezed, unpasteurized fruit juices, etc. This note provides information on food safety, ”says the SFVS Food Advisor.
According to the expert, even when using products with a minimum shelf life, it is important to pay attention to their color, shape, ask whether the product packaging has not been damaged:
“Provided that no defects related to food safety are detected, such as mold, signs of rot, absence of eradicating pests and the like, or significant deviations in quality, such as color, smell, taste, these products may be used in the preparation food”.
A more conscious consumption can stop wasting
According to E. Petrokienė, the expiration date of foods is determined taking into account several main things: composition, production method and freshness evaluation studies.
These studies analyze the appearance, smell, consistency and taste of food and determine if the food is suitable for consumption based on changes in these properties. These studies are necessary for all foods.
‘The shelf life of a food is the period during which the product retains its specific properties when properly stored, as confirmed and established by the manufacturer based on laboratory test data. Shelf life must ensure the safety and quality of the food under the specified storage conditions. Manufacturers must ensure that the product remains safe until it expires. {…}
The length of time the product is fit for consumption is determined by its origin, composition, production method and storage conditions “, explains E. Petrokienė on how the product’s suitability marks are determined.
Based on the advice of the SFVS expert, to avoid unnecessary food waste, it is recommended to first consume perishable products labeled “Best Before” and purchase only in the amount intended for consumption at that time.
S. Gurevičius, the director of Maisto Bankas, would have a similar advice. According to a study, almost 90 percent go to the store. respondents always or more frequently check what food is at home. Half of the respondents almost always carry a list of products they intend to buy.
Never buy food at a discount without being sure if it will be consumed. surveyed. But like many people they do it constantly or frequently.
“These responses to the interviewees give us hope that we can improve the situation even more. Currently, Maisto Bankas saves around 5,000 tons of food per year from disposal and distributes around 5,000 tons of food, but we could save three or maybe four times more if we had more opportunities to do it, ”says S. Gurevičius, director of Maisto Bankas.
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