Tons of food lands on the trash

Food Waste: Massive foods end up in the trash

19/05/2011

Countless foods are thrown away every day, even though they are actually still edible. Therefore, the Federal Minister of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection Ilse Aigner (CSU) promotes a more careful handling of food.

Not all foods whose expiration date is exceeded are inedible, but the products are often left intact in the garbage. According to figures from the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection, extrapolations based on figures from other EU member states have shown that food worth 330 euros per person is wasted in Germany every year.

20 million tons of food ends up in the garbage
Although there are no verified figures, the Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection estimates that up to 20 million tons of food are thrown away every year across Germany. Around ten percent of all packaged food ends up in its original packaging in the garbage. An intolerable condition in the face of malnutrition and hunger in developing countries worldwide. In this country, food waste is significantly influenced by the best-before date (MHD). Originally intended as a guide for consumers, today's MHD is almost law-making and as soon as the products are one day older than indicated on the pack, the food is usually thrown away unopened. But food does not have to be put into the bin right after the expiry date has expired, Doris Gräfe of the consumer center North Rhine-Westphalia told the news agency „dpa“. Often the food is still edible even after the MHD is exceeded and the „Consumers should rely on their own senses“, stressed Grafe.

Expired foods are not necessarily spoiled
However, not only the end consumers throw away food in bulk, but also most supermarkets sort all goods with exceeded best before date, regardless of whether they were still edible or not. The best-before date often refers to specific properties of the food such as taste, odor and nutritional content - foods with expired MHD are therefore not necessarily spoiled. The food is usually more suitable for consumption than indicated on the packaging and spoiled products can usually relatively easily be recognized in the taste and smell, explained the experts of the consumer centers. Negative health consequences of eating expired foods are therefore rather the exception.

Consumption of food with expired best before date
Doris Gräfe from the consumer center North Rhine-Westphalia explained in an interview with the news agency „dpa“, that food with shorter shelf life normally „Still a few days longer“ are as stated on the packaging. Products with an MHD of months or years , „often even several weeks“ can be consumed after expiration. However, sugar and salt, which are therefore sold without a MHD, are completely stable. In addition, the department head food and nutrition of the consumer center Baden-Württemberg, Christiane Manthey, told the „Südkurier“: „Dry foods, such as cereal products, do not spoil as fast as those with high water and / or protein content“. Fatty foods - like nuts - „can become rancid and then change noticeably in taste“, added Manthey. The experts recommend that consumers rely on their own sense of smell and taste more often in the future, and that they rather use the information on the best before date as a guide. (Fp)

Picture: Gerd Altmann