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CORDIS - Article - 451626 Reducing Food Waste Across The Supply Chain - en

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23 views3 pages

CORDIS - Article - 451626 Reducing Food Waste Across The Supply Chain - en

Uploaded by

games94669
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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 News  Scientific advances

Reducing food waste across the supply chain


The SISTERS project is developing innovative solutions to tackle food waste and
loss and foster more sustainable consumer behaviours.
CLIMATE CHANGE
AND ENVIRONMENT

Since its launch in 2021, the EU-funded


SISTERS  project has been waging war
against food waste along the supply chain.
Project partner PROEXPORT – the
Association of Fruit and Vegetable Producers
and Exporters of the Region of Murcia, Spain –
is doing its part through trials to extend the
shelf life of produce.
© jchizhe/stock.adobe.com
Around 89 million tonnes of food are wasted
each year in the EU alone. This means that 20
% of the food we produce ends up as garbage.
SISTERS’ battle to reduce this food waste is being fought through innovations
targeting each stage of the supply chain. For farmers, the project is creating new
tools to promote direct and short-chain sales. For processors and retailers, it is
developing new packaging technologies. Lastly, for retailers and consumers, it is
carrying out campaigns to raise awareness about food waste.
The packaging approach
PROEXPORT has organised trials of innovative containers called ‘BulkBox’ to
reduce food losses of bulk products during transportation. The trials have been
carried out with spinach and strawberries under real storage and conservation
conditions, in which the BulkBox containers have been compared with the regular
system. Researchers measured parameters such as carbon dioxide, relative humidity
and temperature to assess freshness. They also thoroughly studied the products’
condition at the end of the process. According to a news item  posted on the
SISTERS website, results to date show that “the new ‘BulkBox’ packaging could
extend the shelf life of fruit and vegetables, reducing damage from knocks and
product ageing.”
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Another innovative container called ‘StoreBox’ is currently under development, this
time for packaged products. The container will be tested later in 2024. SISTERS also
has biodegradable, recyclable and compostable food packaging in advanced stages
of development, with plans to carry out its pilot production this year. The packaging
will soon be tested in real conditions to assess its effectiveness in extending product
shelf life.
Beyond packaging
However, SISTERS’ innovations do not stop at packaging. The project is also
preparing an online short-chain platform, Regioneo , that will help farmers reduce
food losses by selling their excess fruits and vegetables directly. As reported in
another SISTERS news item , “a prototype has already been developed and, over
the coming months, the platform will be piloted and optimized in close collaboration
with primary producers.” Primary producers interested in a free trial can register
through this link .
The project is currently researching best practices for food waste reduction that will
earn retailers a SISTERS Seal of Excellence. Additionally, SISTERS (Systemic
Innovations for a SusTainable reduction of the EuRopean food waStage) is designing
a new QR code label that will provide key information on a product, such as origin,
environmental cost, proper conservation methods, and expiry and best consumption
dates.
For more information, please see:
SISTERS project website 
Keywords
SISTERS, food, food waste, packaging, supply chain, producer, retailer, consumer
Related projects

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SISTERS
Systemic Innovations for a SusTainable
reduction of the EuRopean food waStage

29 July 2024
PROJECT

Last update: 4 June 2024

Permalink: https://cordis.europa.eu/article/id/451626-reducing-food-waste-across-
the-supply-chain
European Union, 2024

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