Food Waste: Is this still good?
Editor: Kerstin Stenger
We often stand in front of the refrigerator and consider whether a food product is still good. Far too often, we are unsure. We throw it in the trash. Yet many products contain preservatives that make premature throwing away unnecessary.
The use and necessity of preservatives in food is often debated. In fact, however, they play an important role. Preservatives are substances added to inhibit or stop the growth of bacteria, yeast and mold. They prevent food from deteriorating prematurely. Preserving has been done for thousands of years.
There are numerous preservation methods: Fermenting, salting and sugaring are just a few. Preservatives, such as sodium benzoates, are used in industry. Without preservatives, the shelf life of many foods would be significantly shortened and they would spoil more quickly. Throwing food away, however, is a bad decision. Why?
Quick decision. Massive impact.
Food waste impacts many areas:
Social aspects: Currently, around 828 million people suffer from hunger, while at the same time we waste a lot of food. If we treated our food with more respect, more people would be able to eat.
Environment: Food production has a major impact on climate change and biodiversity. Food waste puts unnecessary pressure on the environment. Resources such as water and land are wasted producing food that is not consumed.
Economy: Food waste results in wasted resources and money invested in food production. It also results in a loss of income for farmers and businesses in the food industry.
Health: Food is wasted that is important for a balanced diet. It can also lead to a waste of food resources that are important for feeding people with special needs.
Facts & Figures
According to an estimate by the UN Environment Program, around 931 million tons of food were thrown away worldwide in 2021.
Forever young
Unfortunately, there is no method that permanently preserves food and keeps it fresh. However, food producers can use preservatives to significantly extend the shelf life without affecting the taste.
Benzoic acid (E210) is found as a preservative in many different food applications, such as
- pizza,
- soft drinks or
- tortillas.
Benzoic acid prevents the formation of yeast and mold, ensuring that you can enjoy the products for a long time.
LANXESS supplies benzoic acid in various degrees of purity and for many different applications. However, only the purest benzoic acid is used for the food market.
Did you know that LANXESS supplies one of the purest benzoic acids available on the market? It is sold under the name Purox® B.
By the way, benzoic acid occurs naturally in many fruits, like cinnamon and in cloves.
Sodium benzoate (E211) is the salt of benzoic acid. It is nature-identical and is also used as a preservative in foods such as
- sauces,
- dressings and
- soft drinks.
Like benzoic acid, sodium benzoate prevents microbial growth, ensuring a long shelf life. Sodium benzoate is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) as a food additive!
Our sodium benzoate has the trade name Purox® S.
In addition to benzoic acid and sodium benzoate, Velcorin® and Nagardo® are also used for preservation. Both products are registered for use in beverages.
Velcorin® is a cold sterilization product that prevents germ formation during the bottling process. In the application, Velcorin® dissolves into natural components and therefore has no effect on the taste of the beverage.
Nagardo® is a natural preservative. It is based on an edible fungus and is obtained through biotechnology. It eliminates germs potentially introduced into the beverage and provides long-term protection against the growth of new microorganisms. It appears on the ingredient list in most countries as glycolipids and will soon be used in other foods.
Smell, see, taste
Without preservatives, food would spoil much sooner and food waste would probably be even higher. In the future, before we throw potato salad in the trash unopened just because the expiration date has passed, we should open it and check if:
- it smells uncharacteristically,
- there are changes in color, or
- it tastes different.
Then, and only then, throwing it away is the right option.
5 tips against food waste:
1. Shop: A weekly meal plan helps to plan food better. And groceries can be purchased more selectively with a shopping list.
2. Store: Store fruits and vegetables properly, otherwise they will spoil faster. Not everything belongs in the fridge, for example fruit: mangos, pineapples, or bananas last longer on a fruit tray. Apples should not be stored with other fruit as it will spoil faster.
3. Portions that are too large: Portions are often too large. It is better to adjust the portions to the needs. Trick: Use smaller plates, so you automatically eat less.
4. Taste: It can always happen that you want to try something new, which then does not taste good, like you thought it would. How about giving sealed leftovers to your neighbors to try?
5. Best-before date: Do not throw away food immediately when the best-before date has passed. It is better to open, smell and/or taste it first. Usually food is edible for much longer.
