Daily Lessons from Life 25 April 2014 - Food manufacturers mull measures to curb wastage

MH370 Updates - the PM of Malaysia got interviewed on CNN? How is this helpful with nothing turning up after almost 90% of 'suspected' seabed checked by the submersible?

Incheon-Jeju Ferry Updates - finally final? Not until all the passengers, dead or alive, are accounted for!

"Food manufacturers mull measures to curb wastage - CNA 26 April 2014

SINGAPORE: In a bid to reduce food waste, the Singapore Food Manufacturers' Association (SFMA) is looking at developing a set of food standards with Singapore Standards Council.

These will look at the complete food process -- from production in the factory, to transportation to supermarket shelves, and what happens to food when near expiry dates.
Under current practice, when food is very close to expiring, the retailer will exchange the packages with the manufacturer.
The amount of food waste in Singapore has increased by 31 per cent over the last five years.
In 2013 alone, it amounted to 796,000 tonnes, which works out to almost 147 kilogrammes per person.

Wong Mong Hong, immediate past president of SFMA, said: "One of the important things we would like to introduce is try to set a date well before the expiry of the product..."
These standards are likely to take two to three years to be in place."

It is great to learn that when people spotted an issue, they try to resolve it!

Lessons for are:

1. great to know that people are looking at cutting waste;

2. great to know that people are tracking the wastages and hopefully are able to define the root causes for these wastages;

3. the speed of finding the solutions can probably be faster than the quoted 2-3 years! Maybe the establishment of the industry standard really takes that long. At the same time, it is upon EVERY SINGLE entity and/or person in the food manufacturing value chains to start taking common-sense approach to make sure that: a. there is no over-production. It is better to be sold out and make less than to be laden with surplus inventories!; b. if there is going to be surplus, find a way to sell it like some bakeries are doing with their 1/2 priced pastries after 9 p.m. or 10 p.m. OR to link up with some charitable organizations that can find needy people to consume these 'still good' food!

Yes. Do the BIG CHANGE. At the same time, do the small immediately tangible actions as well. Waiting is NOT an option really.