World Food Day Today! 16th October, 2021

This year, the emphasis is on celebrating food heroes or individuals who have contributed to building a sustainable world where no one has to go hungry. The idea is that we all can be?food heroes ?and contribute to the idea of building a hunger-free world.?

As my friend Sathish Kumar T, Managing Director of Mist Dairy says Food is not about nutrients and calories. It is the result of an immense amount of hard work that we put into our life.

Of course, Packaging has an immense role too. World Packaging Organisation strives for ‘Save Food’ objective. After all, keeping food fresh for longer with effective preservation technique and saving billions of tons of food throughout the supply chain gamut with innovative packaging technology methods greatly contribute.

According to the FAO, around one third of the food produced in the world for human consumption each year — approximately 1.3 billion tons — gets lost or wasted. The organization believes that if just one-quarter of the food currently wasted could be saved, it would be enough to feed 870 million hungry people. And prevention is critical: by preserving food for longer, we can prevent food waste and the loss of the resources used to produce it.

'An important part of packaging’s role is to ensure that the energy invested in producing goods and transporting them from source through the supply chain to the shops and home is not wasted.'

Therefore packaging must be viewed as a benefit to be maximized rather than as a cost to be minimized, so that products, through their packaging, are made available at the points of sale, and sold to enhance GDP, in support of the World Packaging Organization’s motto, “Better quality of life, through better packaging, for more people”

“Begin in your own home”, advises Prof Pierre Pienaar , WPO President. says to minimise food waste at home.

?????????Learn the difference between A Use By date and a Best before Date. Share this knowledge with your workplace, friends and family

?????????Buy smaller packs that suit your household numbers

?????????Plan Ahead and only buy what you need

?????????Don’t cook more than you need

?????????Buy resealable packaging

?????????Buy Freezer ready meals

?????????Look at innovative ways to use leftovers in more meals

?????????Store Food in the right places e.g.: freezer vs refrigerator vs room temperature

?????????Set your refrigerator to the correct temperature

?????????ALWAYS donate extra food to neighbours, friends or foodbanks

?????????Compost your food waste

?????????Get some chickens

?????????Nominate a few Meat Free Days during the week

?????????Spread the message on social media

WPO has been working on the issue of Food Waste and the role that packaging plays for many years now and as the organisation developed a special award category for innovative and intuitive ‘Save Food Packaging Design’ in the annual WorldStar Packaging Awards. As Nerida Kelton explains: “The Packaging that Saves Food Special Award is designed to raise the profile of the critical role of packaging to reduce food waste and therefore reduce product’s overall environmental impact and recognises companies that are developing innovative and sustainable packaging that minimises food losses and food waste, extends shelf life and improves the supply of food. The WPO encourage all businesses to consider entering this award category to help showcase Best Practice Save Food Packaging Design across the globe.”

?Food safety has a critical role in assuring that food stays safe at every stage of the food chain - from production to harvest, processing, storage, distribution, all the way to preparation and consumption. And we cannot undermine the role of Packaging at every stage.

Professor Pierre Pienaar President WPO said “Packaging will become even more important in the coming days with the importance and significance of packaging, consumer awareness will also raise.

There will be a greater reliance on the assumption that all packaged food is safe, like pharmaceuticals.

Food wastage will decrease in developed countries. Our buying trends will change for the better, beyond Covid-19. We will buy less, probably more often, to ensure freshness and less wastage.

Finally packaging education and awareness is the ultimate key. WPO continue its thrust on this motive”