Good morning;

There are different ways to minimize the waste during food processing. What I better know, the Fruit and Vegetables processing, has different ways:

1. Improving the way to improve the final product from raw material by using proper Technology. it is long to describe because the big amount of different fruits. A clear example is Citrus fruit.

2. Recovering alternative products from the initial produced waste. Some examples are: Fibers, Specific compounds presents in waste, Cloudy, etc.

3. working with more efficient varieties.

Considering the Preservation technology, will depend on the kind of final product we intend to obtain: Fresh, Lightly pasteurized, Pasteurized long term. Very important to define the final characteristics of the product we are pretending. Defining what can be considered FRESH, Light Pasteurized, Pasteurized. Always having in mind the standards, if existing, of every category.

Dr Jose Lorente Fernandez thank you for your contribution to the discussion

Technology has greatly improved food preservation by providing various methods and tools to extend the shelf life of food. Some ways in which technology has contributed to food preservation include:

1. Refrigeration: The invention of refrigerators and freezers allows for the storage of perishable foods at low temperatures, slowing down the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms that cause spoilage.

2. Canning: The process of canning involves sealing food in airtight containers and then heating them to destroy any microorganisms. This method helps preserve food for long periods without refrigeration.

3. Vacuum packaging: Vacuum-sealed packaging removes air from around the food, preventing the growth of spoilage-causing bacteria and preserving freshness.

4. Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP): MAP involves altering the atmosphere inside a package to slow down spoilage. By replacing oxygen with gases like nitrogen or carbon dioxide, the growth of bacteria is inhibited.

5. Dehydration: Technologies such as freeze-drying or air-drying remove moisture from food, inhibiting microbial growth and extending shelf life.

6. High-pressure processing (HPP): HPP uses high-pressure water to kill pathogens without heat, preserving the nutritional quality and taste of foods while extending their shelf life.

Reducing food loss and waste through technology-driven solutions is sustainable for several reasons:

1. Environmental impact: Food waste generates significant greenhouse gas emissions when it decomposes in landfills. By reducing waste, we can minimize these emissions and mitigate climate change.

2. Resource conservation: Producing food requires vast amounts of resources like water, energy, and land. When we reduce waste, we also conserve these valuable resources, making our agricultural practices more sustainable.

3. Economic benefits: Food loss represents a significant economic loss for farmers, producers, and consumers alike. By reducing waste, we can save money at all stages of the supply chain while ensuring that more people have access to affordable food.

4. Food security: By reducing food loss and waste, we can increase the availability of food for those who are food-insecure. This is especially crucial considering the growing global population and the need to feed everyone sustainably.

Overall, technology plays a vital role in improving food preservation, reducing waste, and making our food systems more sustainable.

Dr Fatemeh Gharahdaghigharahtappeh thank you for your contribution to the discussion

Emerging food processing and preservation technologies, including high pressure processing (HPP), pulsed ultraviolet (UV) light, dense phase carbon dioxide, pulse electric field, power ultrasound, cold atmospheric plasma, and ozone have gained much attention in recent years. Modern Industrial technology has introduced vacuum packing, drying and freeze-drying, irradiation, pasteurization, smoking, addition of chemical additives, freezing, canning, dehydrating and salting. Canning and pasteurization are methods of food preservation that involve heating food to high temperatures, and then sealing it in airtight containers. The heat kills most of the microorganisms that can spoil food, and the sealed containers prevent recontamination by air, water, or insects. More modern techniques have been evolved such as irradiation and high pressure food preservation. Some of the latest methods of food preservation are irradiation, e-beam irradiation, high pressure processing, Pulsed electric field treatment, extrusion, natural preservative, Ozone, and nanotechnology.Food production and processing are also advancing in this boom of technology. Latest innovations like 3D printing, lab-grown meat, vertical farming and more things like this could change how we grow and process our food. High Pressure Food Preservation (HPP) it is enhanced by decreasing in volume and increasing in temperature under high pressure. This causes the inactivation of microbes but the nutrition and physical fitness of food are remained. We emphasize electro thermal, freezing and pulse electric field methods because they allow both pathogen reduction and improvement of nutritional and physicochemical properties. Ultrasound technology and ozone treatment are suitable to preserve heat sensitive foods. Most of the developing countries still rely on the traditional food preservation techniques including open sun drying, salting, smoking, and evaporative cooling. Technologies used in food loss and waste reduction include 'smart packaging' that changes colour as food spoils, or Block chain and radio-frequency identification tags that track information to identify potential sources of contamination along the food supply chain. Reduced methane emissions from landfills and a lower carbon footprint and better management of energy and resources, preventing pollution involved in the growing, manufacturing, transporting, and selling of food. Plan your meals, make a shopping list and stick to it, and avoid impulse buys. Not only will you waste less, you'll also save money! Pick ugly fruit and vegetables. Try some ugly fruit and vegetables and make use of food that might otherwise go to waste. Prevents pollution caused by reducing the need to harvest new raw materials. Saves energy. Reduces greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global climate change. Helps sustain the environment for future generations.