Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition Calls on Europe to Tackle Food Waste

BRUSSELS, July 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Effectively tackling food waste demands political action as much as consumer awareness, according to a new study presented in Brussels today by the Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition (BCFN) entitled "Food Waste : causes, impacts and proposals".

One third of the total food production intended for human consumption is wasted every year. In Europe alone, this amounts to 180 kg per capita. In addition to the vast societal implications, such levels of food waste also have a huge environmental and economic impact.

The Barilla Center's study, launched today at a policy debate in Brussels, was attended by over 200 participants from public institutions, trade associations, businesses, universities and civil society.

The first of two panel discussions, "Tackling food waste: a view from the supply chain" brought together producers, retailers and NGOs to formulate recommendations for practical solutions to tackle food waste. In the second panel, "The policy challenge: the EU perspective", representatives from European institutions discussed what actions the EU must take to achieve the Commission's target of halving the disposal of edible food waste by 2020.

The debate was followed by a demonstration from Academia Barilla chefs of how one can make delicious dishes using leftovers and using all parts of the products, thus wasting less food.

Guido Barilla, Chairman of the Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition, said: "Food losses and waste cast a worrisome shadow over the model of growth that has governed the global economy for the past fifty years - a model that is totally unsustainable".

Tristram Stuart, writer and activist, said: "As this new BCFN study confirms, solving the global food waste scandal requires global action from governments, citizens and businesses. Tackling food losses and food waste presents a massive opportunity to increase food security and feed the world while also reducing the environmental impact of our food system".

Note to Editors

The Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition is a multidisciplinary think tank focusing on issues of food and nutrition and their relations to economics, medicine, diet, sociology and the environment. The work of the Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition is backed by an authoritative Advisory Board composed of Umberto Veronesi (Scientific Director, European Institute of Oncology of Milan; founder, Umberto Veronesi Foundation; former Italian Minister for Health), Camillo Ricordi (Professor of Surgery, Medicine, Biomedical Engineering, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Miami), Claude Fischler (Director of Research, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique - CNRS; Director, Edgar Morin Centre, Paris), Ellen Gustafson (Founder and Executive Director, 30 Project; Co-founder, FEED Foundation), Gabriele Riccardi (Professor of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, University of Naples "Federico II"; President, Italian Society of Diabetology - SID), and Barbara Buchner (Director, Climate Initiative Policy, Venice).