Singapore wasted 796000 tonnes of food last year

[Darthrevan]

Those responsible for food wastage included food manufacturing and catering industries and hotels.

 

Every day last year, each person in Singapore wasted an equivalent of one packet of economy rice or nasi padang.

All this added up to an astounding record of 796,000 tonnes - the weight of about 1,420 fully loaded Airbus A-380s - of food waste, according to National Environment Agency statistics released this month.

This marks a steep 13.2 per cent rise from the 703,200 tonnes dumped in 2012, and is the sharpest spike in at least six years. Before last year, food waste had typically gone up between 1.6 and 6.7 per cent year on year since 2007.

"It's an extremely steep rise and it's rather disturbing that there is a distinct lack of awareness and nonchalance to food security issues," said Singapore Environment Council chief executive Jose Raymond yesterday.

The amount of food waste, which includes cooked food and expired packaged products, last year is a 42.4 per cent leap from the 2007 figure, far outpacing the 17.7 per cent growth in national population.

Raymond blamed rising consumer affluence, a growing food industry that is "constantly bringing new delicacies to the table", and a lack of public awareness on food waste.

An affluent society has resulted in habits such as "not finishing up our food (because) the taste is not up to par or the inclination to load up our plates when in front of a buffet line", said Food and Beverage Managers' Association (FBMA) president Cheong Hai Poh.

He revealed that FBMA has already been studying food practices in Europe.

The problem has also permeated every link in the supply chain, said Minister of State for National Development Maliki Osman in Parliament last week.

Among those culpable included food manufacturing and catering industries, food and beverage outlets as well as hotels.

The latest statistic has surprised Restaurant Association of Singapore president Andrew Tjioe, who is also the executive chairman of Tung Lok Group.

"I have seen restaurants with waiters who keep customers from over-ordering," he said. "People also dabao (take away) leftovers, it is not shameful. I do so even if I have only a little bit of food left."

He believes catered occasions, such as buffets and banquets, were the prime wasters.

People also tend to cater more food than required, said Tjioe. "But caterers wouldn't dare to cut down in case the demand is there and food is not enough."

He suggested reducing Chinese banquet courses, which can have as many as nine dishes, or to cut the size of portions.

Open-concept kitchens at restaurants such as Carousel at Royal Plaza on Scotts also help chefs gauge how much food is still available to diners, said its general manager Patrick Fiat.

Singapore Food Manufacturers' Association president Thomas Pek, who said he will raise the problem at an association meeting later this month, urged more companies to work with charities in giving away food that is nearing its expiry date.

He also suggested that more supermarkets and bakeries could mark down prices of their fresh produce near the end of the day.

Despite the massive amount of food being disposed, recycling remains low. Last year, only about 13 per cent of the total was recycled, up 1 per cent from the previous year. This comprises mainly clean food waste such as spent grains from beer brewing and bread waste, which are converted to animal feed.

Said Raymond: "With the amount of food waste being generated, it is probably timely for Singapore to revisit the possibility of food waste recycling."

Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/singapore/story/more-food-going-waste-20140319-0

[Jman888]

i am a small eater, whenever i order small portion, the hawker think i am cheapskate

[LoverofCar]

I'm sure I did not contribute to that number...I will always make sure food are not wasted at home and outside...

[Jamesc]

Wish they told me about it. I would have taken home some.

 

[Optramagnum]

I think the main culprit is those who frequent buffet meals. Take so much, but can't finish. Those kids in 3rd world countries cant even afford a decent meal, until God knows when. It is a sin to waste food, regardless it's paid already or not..

[Darthrevan]

i am a small eater, whenever i order small portion, the hawker think i am cheapskate

 

you must be underweight

[Tigerwoods]

But there are times the food served are really badly prepared.

Whereas in Japan, everywhere I eat, I get good tasting food.

 

There is a food culture that aims for perfection even with the simplest and inexpensive ingredients. From a simple no license roadside Bento hawker during Lunchtime to a simple diner in an alley. Of course the high end ones are really damn blardy good.

 

Why does a hawker centre Wanton mee (non-famous) continue to prepare his food badly ?

No pride ? No skill ? cheap ingredients ?

[Toothiewabbit]

But there are times the food served are really badly prepared.

Whereas in Japan, everywhere I eat, I get good tasting food.

 

There is a food culture that aims for perfection even with the simplest and inexpensive ingredients. From a simple no license roadside Bento hawker during Lunchtime to a simple diner in an alley. Of course the high end ones are really damn blardy good.

 

Why does a hawker centre Wanton mee (non-famous) continue to prepare his food badly ?

No pride ? No skill ? cheap ingredients ?

Agree...even the small stalls located at some Tokyo train platforms serving soba/ramen taste beri goode too.

[Watwheels]

Actually charities could work with restaurants like when ever there's a wedding lunch/dinner. If there's a 80% turn out the charities could send ppl in to fill the rest of the 20% (w/o ang bao of course). Like that won't have wastage of food.

 

I think a lot also come from pre-packed food, snacks & can food. Once they have reached their expiry date nobody wants it and they are thrown away. Actually fresh fruit/vege and meat all have very short shelf life.

 

Talk is easy. On how to get a balance of things is difficult coz ppl do not eat a fixed portion of food. And dan there are bound to be ppl who do not turn up and the food prepared is wasted.

[Thaiyotakamli]

The main solution is to close the stalls in hawker center and food courts that sells sucks food! I see many stalls dont have customers and the food pile up. Really wastage!

[Darthrevan]

The main solution is to close the stalls in hawker center and food courts that sells sucks food! I see many stalls dont have customers and the food pile up. Really wastage!

 

the patrons can exercise their power by not patronizing those stalls with lousy food & in turn these stalls with no pride might close down..but generally not many people have sophisticated taste buds..this group people probably frequent stalls which sell cheap affordable mass produced food rather than go for tastier & higher quality food..though I have to concede that some people just want to fill their stomach

[Jman888]

The main solution is to close the stalls in hawker center and food courts that sells sucks food! I see many stalls dont have customers and the food pile up. Really wastage!

 

Those are very small quantity only, biggest come from restaurants buffet and banquet, catering.

[Thaiyotakamli]

 

the patrons can exercise their power by not patronizing those stalls with lousy food & in turn these stalls with no pride might close down..but generally not many people have sophisticated taste buds..this group people probably frequent stalls which sell cheap affordable mass produced food rather than go for tastier & higher quality food..though I have to concede that some people just want to fill their stomach

yes

 

we need more quality of stalls, dont want stalls that sell oversupply food. Those mixed vege rice should cook less quantity, once finish cook again.

 

All buffet restaurant should applying fine for not finishing the food

Those are very small quantity only, biggest come from restaurants buffet and banquet, catering.

yes but we have food court every 100m

[Count-Bracula]

Wasting food is a sin. There are so many people dying of hunger every day. I make it a point to finish up every rice grain on my plate.

[Zxcvb]

I believe the food wastage is not about the unfinished food on our plate lah. But specifically food that can't sell or left expired. And most wasteful one will be SAF cookhouse.

[Mllcg]

But there are times the food served are really badly prepared.

Whereas in Japan, everywhere I eat, I get good tasting food.

 

There is a food culture that aims for perfection even with the simplest and inexpensive ingredients. From a simple no license roadside Bento hawker during Lunchtime to a simple diner in an alley. Of course the high end ones are really damn blardy good.

 

Why does a hawker centre Wanton mee (non-famous) continue to prepare his food badly ?

No pride ? No skill ? cheap ingredients ?

 

pls.

 

1 portion of food there can fill me up.

 

1 portion here....

 

so when i buy 2, i finish both

I think the main culprit is those who frequent buffet meals. Take so much, but can't finish. Those kids in 3rd world countries cant even afford a decent meal, until God knows when. It is a sin to waste food, regardless it's paid already or not..

 

its also a sin to be a glutton..

 

can finish but u take so much

I believe the food wastage is not about the unfinished food on our plate lah. But specifically food that can't sell or left expired. And most wasteful one will be SAF cookhouse.

 

oh. cookhouse...

 

when i ask for extra food, i was never given

[ChickenMob]

eh....... recycle food means we got to eat rubbish or????

[Picnic06-Biante15]

NEA seow boh .....

 

With restriction to the hours (4 hrs) of the cooked food to be consumed, sure most ppl throw away the food lor.....

 

Last time, ppl scared waste food and after buffet, scoop the extra food home to eat mar...

 

They themself comes out to said that cooked food after 4 hrs leow will contain this virus & that virus and ppls nowadays health concious plus medical cost so high, throw away cooked food lor....