The large amount of food waste is undesirable for environmental, ethical and economical reasons. The largest volumes of food waste are found for fruits, vegetables and bakery products. The type of food that has the largest impact on the release of climate gases and economy is probably meat products. Much food is thrown away by consumers because it has passed the sell-by-date. Nofima will first focus on food waste of high volume or economical value, and that with current technology has a short or variable shelf life.
One of our tasks will be to study and improve the handling of raw materials throughout the value chain from harvest or slaughter to packaging. For many foods like whole muscle meat or fish, the bacteria are primarily located on the surface of the products. We will examine methods as for example short-term heating with water or steam, use of acids or berry juices, spraying with useful bacteria cultures and pre-treatment with high pressure.
Packaging is a critical step for obtaining a long shelf life of the products. A high hygienical level during slicing and packaging is important for maintaining low bacterial counts. We will test different methods for maximizing the effect of carbon dioxide as an antimicrobial gas, either directly in the package or by pre-treatment. Moreover, we will find the right level of oxygen in atmospheres for certain foods like vegetables. We will test packages for small households with easy opening and closing mechanisms. Another important issue for packaged foods is the difference in labelling between sell-by-date and best before.
