Analysis of the Problem of Waste in Relation to Food Consumers

The global demand for food continues to increase. It is estimated that about 680 million people lack food access and suffer from malnutrition. On the other hand, in the current market, access to food is common and ever easier. Nevertheless, we are increasingly faced with the phenomenon of waste, which refers to the deliberate disposal of food that is fit for human consumption. This article focuses on a very important problem related to food waste, in relation to one of the main groups affected, i.e., consumers. Indeed, it is their awareness and behavior in the context of food waste and in relation to the environment, as well as future approaches to social sustainability, that are of the utmost importance. The study was conducted on a group of 384 respondents—the research sample was differentiated by sex and place of residence. The method used in the study was the analysis of correspondence, using data from the proprietary questionnaire, conducted on a group of adults, i.e., consumers, purchasing food. Respondents were asked about the issues related to the fact of wasting food, the frequency of this phenomenon and the main reasons why they do it. It should be emphasized that the respondents notice the problem by admitting that food is wasted in their households for various reasons. Conclusions resulting from the conducted statistical analysis and the analysis of the literature indicate that the main reason for wastage is that the use-by date has passed. Here arises the question as to why this fact comes about; maybe we buy too much food, which means that we are not able to ensure that the deadline for its consumption is not passed

Evaluation of physical parameters and spectral characterization of the quality of soaps containing by-products from the food industry

Abstract The present study investigated several properties such as friction, hardness, penetration work, and cutting forces in soaps formulated with apple and carrot pomace at varying concentrations of 5%, 10%, and 15%. To gain insights into the molecular-level alterations within the formulated soap samples, they were spectroscopically analyzed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The sliding friction analyses revealed that the investigated extrudate additives had no significant impact on the frictional forces of the soaps. However, notable differences were observed in the cutting force, hardness, and penetration work between the control and pomace-added samples. Excluding the control samples, no statistically significant distinctions were found between the cutting force, hardness, and work of penetration of soaps containing apple pomace and carrot pomace. Moreover, the quantity of pomace incorporated did not induce any significant variations in the results. The obtained samples were characterised at the molecular level using FTIR Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. On the other hand, alterations in band intensities suggested improved molecular packing of the compounds within the samples due to the presence of the additives

Zastosowanie wytłoków z marchwi i jabłek do produkcji zdrowych batonów

In recent years, the increasing popularity of healthy eating brought about a significant increase in the consumption of fruit and vegetables in the form of juices, purees and cocktails. In the process of their production, the byproduct is pomace, which is treated by the food processing industry as waste. Assuming that pomace accounts for only 20% of the raw material used, annually up to 630 000 tonnes of pomace are obtained globally. However, numerous studies have demonstrated that fruit pomace is a valuable source of many nutritious substances. The objective of the study was to develop a compressionbased production technology of apple pomace-based bars, and to assess their quality. Based on the analysis of the structure of produced bars, it can be concluded that their hardness and resistance to cutting does not differ significantly from that of commercial bars made with alternative technology and from different ingredients.W ostatnich latach, na fali popularności zdrowego odżywiania, znacznie wzrosło spożycie owoców, warzyw, soków, przecierów i wszelkiego rodzaju koktajli (smoothies). Ich produkcja jest bezpośrednio związana z powstawaniem wytłoków. Zakładając, że wytłoki powstałe podczas produkcji soków stanowią jedynie 20% wykorzystywanego surowca, przemysł przetwórczy produkuje aż 630 000 ton wytłoków rocznie. Ponowne wykorzystanie tego surowca stanowi poważny problem dla producentów. Liczne badania dowodzą jednak, że wytłoki owocowe są cennym źródłem wielu substancji odżywczych. Celem pracy było opracowanie technologii produkcji batonów na bazie wytłoków jabłkowych wytwarzanych metodą prasowania oraz ocena ich jakości. Wyniki analizy struktury batonów pozwalają stwierdzić, że pod względem twardości i odporności na krojenie parametry tego produktu nie odbiegają istotnie od parametrów komercyjnych batonów wytworzonych inną technologią i z innych składników