Advocates Of A Streamlined Lifestyle Feel The Hate From Purists

Bloggers who write about their daily efforts to reduce household waste to zero are not immune from criticism. Purists of every stripe lambaste Kathryn Kellogg and other millennial women for not following the right kind of sustainable lifestyle, whether it be veganism or anti-toilet paperism. But despite all the hate mail, Kellogg and other followers of zero-waste gurus like Bea Johnson, author of “Zero Waste Home: The Ultimate Guide to Reducing Your Waste,” persevere in their quest. Kellogg’s trash for the past year – everything that was not recycled or composted – fits in an eight-ounce jar. That’s a far cry from the average three pounds of trash produced by every American every day.

"Zero-waste bloggers: the millennials who can fit a year's worth of trash in a jar", The Guardian, April 22, 2016

Juice Industry May Have A Profitable Way To Use Leftover Pulp

Scientists and grad students at Washington State University have figured out a way to put carrot pulp to good use. The pulp, or “pomace,” that is left over after carrots (and other fruits and veggies) are juiced can be added to cornstarch and used to expand snack foods, making them “puffier.” The researchers found that a five percent concentration level worked best. Mixing in the pomace not only increases the volume, it adds fiber and beta-carotene without affecting the flavor. An added bonus? It creates a use for a processing byproduct at a time when juice production is on the rise.

"Reducing waste while improving snack nutrition", News release, Washington State University, April 26, 2016

Gleaning Not Only Reduces Food Waste, It Broadly Benefits Communities

Gleaning is a well-established agricultural practice that involves collecting and sharing excess farm produce that did not make it into the commercial food distribution pipeline. AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer Julie Schubert describes what she learned in her nine months of service in Vermont, participating in the gleaning process. The biggest takeaway is the realization that gleaning is all about the community relationships among farmers, volunteers, collection sites, and ultimately the people receiving healthful fruits and vegetables. In the Rutland community alone in 2015, the Farm and Food Link’s Glean Team gathered and distributed 36,500 pounds of produce – nearly $60,000 worth – from 29 local farms.

"Harvest Watch - Vista View: What It Means To Glean", Rutland Herald (Vermont), April 26, 2016

Start-Ups Prosper In “Clean Label” America At The Expense Of Big Food

A cluster of Chicago-area start-ups is profiting from health-conscious America’s growing demand for foods and drinks that are less processed, contain few ingredients, and fewer artificial ingredients and fillers. Gluten-free baking company Simple Mills is prospering following the “clean label” trend, with its products now in 3,000 stores in the U.S., making it the third largest American baker by revenue. RXBar, which makes, an all-natural protein bar, grew by 300 percent last year and expects similar growth in 2016. These companies are increasing market share as big food producers struggle to reformulate familiar product lines without hurting texture or flavor.

"Small Startups Profit from Clean Label Movement", Specialty Food, April 27, 2016

McDonald’s Cleans Up Its McNuggets Recipe

"McDonald's plans to launch 'cleaner' Chicken McNuggets", Crain’s Chicago Business, April 27, 2016

Black Flies Are Critical Component Of Company’s “Cradle To Cradle” Strategy

A small Vancouver, Canada, company has formed an unlikely partnership in the cause of reduced food waste. Enterra feeds clouds of black flies tons of so-called pre-consumer food. The flies turn the waste dough, stale bread, unsightly or expired fruits and vegetables, etc., into protein and fat-rich larvae. This, in turn, becomes a basic component of the meal or fertilizer used by fish and livestock farms, as well as grain growers. It’s all part of a concept, or movement, known as “cradle to cradle," in which environmental  innovators figure out how to cycle waste materials ordinarily headed for the landfill back into manufacturing processes. In Enterra’s case, closing that loop involves insects: “mother nature's cleanup crew."

"Circular economy on the rise, but Canada lags on repurposing waste", The Toronto Globe and Mail, April 27, 2016

N.Y. City Mayor Spearheads Massive Commercial Waste Reduction Initiative

As part of New York's observance of Earth Day last year, Mayor Bill de Blasio unveiled a plan to reduce city waste output by 90 percent by 2030. Early this month the mayor’s office announced that 30 businesses had accepted the “Zero Waste Challenge” last February, promising to halve landfill disposals by June. Whole Foods Market, Walt Disney Co.’s ABC, Anheuser Busch, Citi Field (N.Y. Mets), Barclays Center (Brooklyn Nets), The Peninsula and Waldorf Astoria hotels, Le Bernardin restaurant, and e-commerce website Etsy Inc. all agreed to cut their trash output. Since February, the businesses have used various strategies to divert 13,000 tons of trash from landfills.

"NYC Businesses Agree To Cut Waste In Half By June", The Huffington Post, May 02, 2016

Hershey’s Continues Simplifying Its Ingredients

Following through on its 2015 promise to simplify the ingredients that go into its products, candy manufacturer Hershey’s has developed a new chocolate syrup that contains only five “simple” ingredients. Simply 5 Syrup contains cocoa, water, natural flavor from vanilla beans, cane sugar and cane syrup. It contains no high-fructose corn syrup, artificial preservatives or flavors, or GMOs. Since last year’s announcement, the company has simplified ingredients in more than 500 product SKUs, including the iconic Hershey's Kisses Milk Chocolates and Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bars.

"New Hershey’s Simply 5 Syrup Is Sweet And Simple With Just Five Ingredients", News release, The Hershey Company, May 02, 2016

Cage-Free Egg Movement Steams Ahead

The Walt Disney Co.’s theme parks and cruise line, and the Florida-based supermarket chain Winn-Dixie, announced they are implementing a cage-free eggs sourcing policy much earlier than other hospitality chains, restaurants and food retailers. Disney said its plan will be completed by the end of 2016, while Winn-Dixie’s private-label eggs will be cage-free by 2017, the rest by 2025. Most companies that have announced cage-free egg policies are giving themselves as much as ten years to put them in place. In recent weeks, the following companies have announced a transition to cage-free eggs over various timetables: 7-11; Dollar General; Dairy Queen; N.Y.-based Tops grocery chain; Texas-based H-E-B grocery chain; C&S Wholesale Grocers (Keene, N.H.); and grocery retailer SpartanNash (Grand Rapids, Mich.).

"Disney and Winn Dixie will use cage free eggs only", Orlando Sentinel , May 10, 2016

As Court Battles Rage Over GMO Label Law, Some Companies Quietly Comply

Some food companies have made a big deal of their decision to comply with a Vermont law requiring GMO ingredient labeling. But unlike Mars, Campbell Soup, and General Mills, PepsiCo is adding the labeling with no fanfare. Consumers Union said it noticed cans of Pepsi in New Hampshire whose label said the soda was “Partially Produced With Genetic Engineering.” The same notice was also found on Lay’s potato chips bags. All of this is occurring against a backdrop of litigation as food trade groups struggle to prevent the Vermont law from taking effect on July 1. So far their efforts have been stymied in the courts, but it’s anyone’s guess how the issue will be resolved.

"Pepsi, Frito-Lay Quietly Adding GMO Ingredient Labels To Some Foods", Consumerist, May 11, 2016

Smartphone App Applies Inventory Management Tactics To Reduce Home Food Loss

The developers of a consumer smartphone app that applies an industrial inventory management strategy to domestic use know that 60 percent of food loss in the U.K. happens in the home. The app (“”The Pantry”) provides a stock list that ranks purchased food; a tracker that sorts foods by expire date, best before date or use by date and sends notifications when a product is nearing its date. It also provides recipes that maximize use of the foods in the fridge, freezer or cupboard. The developers tested their app among consumers, and published their findings in a scientific journal: the app can help cut home food waste 34 percent. They conclude that it seems "misdirected" to focus all food waste reduction efforts on industry. The remainder of the food chain – particularly consumers – “must get involved.”

"Industry must help consumers cut food waste, say app developers", FOODnavigator.com, May 11, 2016

Hormel Applies “Clean Label” Plan Across Its Product Line

Hormel Foods Corporation’s new clean label initiative aims to simplify ingredient statements by removing or replacing artificial preservatives, colors, and flavors in many of its retail products without hurting flavor. The company says its Valley Fresh products, Compleats microwaveable meals, Always Tender meats and two side dishes were simplified. It is working to simplify ingredients for Hormel chili, Dinty Moore stew and SPAM products. Hormel says its Natural Choice meats were developed nine years ago with zero preservatives, no artificial colors or MSG, no nitrites or nitrates added, and no gluten.

"Hormel Foods Simplifies Ingredient Statements of Products", News release, Hormel Foods, May 13, 2016

Used Coffee Grounds Make Perfect Soil For Burgeoning Mushroom Business

It was a simple concept waiting to be exploited for profit while helping to curb food waste. Two Australian entrepreneurs saw a market for mushrooms among Fremantle-area restaurants. They crowdfunded $30,000 to get the business – basically collecting tons of used coffee grounds from local restaurants and delivering them to an urban farm – off the ground. At the farm, the grounds are mixed with mushroom spores. Over three months they produced 530 pounds of mushrooms using three tons of donated coffee grounds. The restaurants in turn buy the mushrooms. The company founders say the response from the local community has been “phenomenal.”

"Recycled coffee grounds give rise to Fremantle mushroom farm", ABC.net.au, May 13, 2016

Grocery Chain Tests “Smart” Cameras In Fridges To Reduce Over-Buying

British retail grocery chain Sainsbury’s is pilot testing an interesting an interesting solution to food loss in the home. The company has selected 20 families in Derbyshire to try Bosch fridge-freezers fitted out with “smart” cameras that tell a consumer’s smartphone which foods they already have in the fridge at home. The six-month test, part of the company’s “Waste Less, Save More” initiative, is to determine whether the smart cameras will keep consumers from over-buying – and potentially wasting – food. The top five over-bought products, according to Sainsbury’s, are fruits, vegetables, milk, cheese and eggs.

"‘Smart’ fridge cameras allow Sainsbury’s shoppers to reduce waste", The Scotsman, May 23, 2016

U.S. Turns Its Attention To Innovative Ways To Reduce Food Waste

Retail grocers and entrepreneurs in the U.S. are following the lead of their colleagues in Europe who are endeavoring to reduce food waste by making it okay to buy “ugly” foods. Whole Foods Market and Giant Eagle, for example, have introduced malformed carrots, oranges with protruding navels, and blemished pomegranates in their stores to get customers used to the idea that ugly produce is edible and need not be dumped in the trash. Meanwhile, entrepreneurs are developing business ideas that focus on ways to recover edible but unappealing produce and distribute it to the needy. One company is working on ways to turn fresh, but unappealing, fish into healthful jerky. Food activist Danielle Nierenberg says, “A lot of the innovation is going to come from companies, and that is exciting,”

"Gnarly Fruit Paves Way for Ugly Fish Jerky in Battle to Curb Food Waste", Blog, 3BL Media, May 28, 2016