Fermented Future: Tackling Food Waste and Climate Change One Jar at a Time

Food waste is widely recognized as a pressing environmental issue, yet it rarely receives the focus it needs. More than one-third of all food produced in the US goes uneaten, leading to wasted resources and significant environmental consequences. How serious is the food waste crisis, and how might one bubbling solution provide a potential remedy to this global emergency?

— 

The food waste crisis is impacting not just the environmental sector but also the health and well-being of people. Millions on our planet live in poor conditions, unable to access healthy, nutritious food that first-world countries throw away so quickly. 

The global food waste disaster will not only destabilize economies, putting millions of agricultural jobs at risk, but it will also lead to the decline of entire species and habitats as resources are depleted and ecosystems are disrupted.

As the effects of climate change become increasingly evident globally, scientists and farmers are racing against the clock to find solutions that will reduce trash and preserve our planet while sustainably consuming food, including one innovative method of preserving food waste in mason jars, and transforming it into delicious ferments. 

A Global Crisis

Food waste is the most prevalent material sent to landfills and incinerators in the US, accounting for 24% of landfilled municipal solid waste and 22% of that which is burned. 

These staggering numbers highlight a significant inefficiency in our food systems, where a large portion of the food produced never reaches our plates. Not only does this represent a waste of resources like water, energy, and labor but it also underscores the urgent need for better food management practices.

The energy and resources used to produce, transport, and store food are effectively wasted when food is discarded, contributing to a cycle of environmental degradation and resource depletion.

Countries across the globe are grappling with the food waste crisis, though some are more severely impacted than others. Developing nations, particularly in regions like Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, face significant challenges. Here, up to 40% of food produced can be lost before it even reaches consumers, primarily due to poor facilities, lack of refrigeration, and inefficient supply chains. This not only exacerbates food insecurity but also limits economic opportunities for farmers, who lose potential income from unsold produce.

In contrast, developed countries such as the US and Western European nations experience food waste primarily at the consumer level. This waste occurs in households, restaurants, and supermarkets, driven by factors like over-purchasing items, aesthetic standards for produce as seen on social media trends, and misinterpretation of expiration dates. 

The impacts here are multifaceted: from contributing to significant greenhouse gas emissions as food decomposes in landfills to reflecting a concerning disconnect between consumption patterns and sustainable practices.

But the consequences of food waste extend beyond environmental issues. Economically, the global cost of food waste is estimated at nearly $1 trillion annually, affecting both producers and consumers.

Socially, the crisis perpetuates hunger and malnutrition, especially in regions where food is scarce. One in seven Americans is food insecure, per the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service’s latest report this September.

The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals aim to halve per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer level and reduce food losses along production and supply chains, including post-harvest losses. 

While this demonstrates that food waste is a solvable issue, it must be looked at from different perspectives. By addressing the food waste crisis through better management practices, consumer education, and policy changes, countries can mitigate its impacts, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and promote a more sustainable food system.

You might also like: 11 Effective Solutions for Food Waste

Food Waste and Climate Change

Food waste accounts for 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, which equates to about 4.4 gigatonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually. If food waste was a country, its emissions would rank third in the world, behind only China and the US. 

When food waste sits rotting in a landfill, it creates methane, one of the most harmful greenhouse gasses found on Earth. Unlike carbon dioxide, methane is significantly more effective at trapping heat in the atmosphere, making it a potent contributor to climate change. 

This intensified warming results in rising global temperatures, altered weather patterns, and increased extreme weather events. Climate change leads to melting ice caps, rising sea levels, and disruptions to ecosystems, posing serious risks to both natural and human systems. 

It is estimated that about 6-8% of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions could be reduced if we stopped wasting food.

The food waste crisis is closely linked to climate change beyond just greenhouse gas emissions. Food production demands significant amounts of water, land, and energy, and when food is wasted, all these resources are squandered. 

This waste exacerbates the strain on ecosystems, particularly in arid regions where water scarcity is a pressing concern.

Food production drives agricultural expansion, often leading to deforestation and loss of biodiversity. As forests are cleared to make way for farmland, vital ecosystems that play a crucial role in carbon sequestration are disrupted. 

The cycle of waste encourages further land exploitation, putting additional pressure on wildlife and plant species at risk of extinction.

Soil degradation is another serious consequence of the food waste crisis. Intensive farming practices aimed at increasing production can lead to soil erosion and nutrient depletion. Uneaten food contributes to over 16% of US cropland use. 

When food goes uneaten, it diminishes the incentive for sustainable agricultural practices, compounding issues related to soil health that are essential for both carbon storage and future agricultural productivity.

Additionally, the accumulation of food waste places significant burdens on waste management systems. 

Many countries lack the infrastructure to effectively process organic waste, resulting in increased landfill use and associated environmental impacts, such as methane emissions from decomposing food. 

Recognizing these interconnected issues helps better understand the need for comprehensive solutions to tackle both food waste and climate change, promoting a more sustainable and resilient food system for all.

What Is Fermentation?

Fermentation is a transformative process that enhances flavors that is increasingly emerging as a potential solution to the food waste crisis. In simple terms, fermentation refers to the process of creating food or changing the properties of food using microbes (microorganisms) or starters, like yeast.

Fermented foods are celebrated across cultures for their unique flavors, health benefits, and preservation qualities. Popular examples include yogurt and kefir from the Middle East and Central Asia, where dairy is transformed by beneficial bacteria into creamy, tangy delights. 

In East Asia, kimchi – a spicy mix of fermented vegetables, often napa cabbage – has become a staple of Korean cuisine, renowned for its bold flavor and probiotic properties, while sauerkraut and pickles are beloved in Germany and Eastern Europe.

These diverse fermented foods not only reflect the culinary heritage of their regions but also demonstrate how fermentation can enhance food preservation and reduce waste.

Fermentation fosters an environment that inhibits the growth of spoilage bacteria and pathogens, thereby extending the shelf life of foods. This process transforms perishable ingredients into stable products that can be stored for longer periods.

Extending fresh batches of harvest plays a crucial role in the farm to table cycle.

Additionally, fermentation enhances the nutritional profile of foods, making them more healthful. By converting surplus or imperfect ingredients into fermented products, we effectively reduce waste and make the most of available resources.

Another popular ferment mold that is cultivated in Japan is called koji – a powerful, enzyme-rich edible mold full of transformative powers. Koji enhances food by producing enzymes that break down nutrients such as starches and proteins to create tasty sugars, commonly found in soy sauce, miso, sake, and more.

But how exactly will fermentation solve the food waste crisis?

Ferments, like koji, encourage anyone to experiment and cook with foods that would previously be thrown out with the blink of an eye. Fermentation is a large method to control spoilage, and for fermentation experts like Takashi Sato, president and eight-generation owner of global soy sauce and miso manufacturer San-J International, it will be able to directly apply to the food waste crisis.

“Fermentation is just a technique, and it could be applied to many things,” Sato told Forbes in a recent article highlighting his long-term work and passion for this field. “We learn that fermentation has a bigger potential to contribute to the food waste problem.”

With Halloween just around the corner, those that celebrate this spooky time of the year by carving or decorating should consider not throwing away their pumpkins. 

Sato encourages households and families with pumpkins lining their front porches or windows to not discard their pumpkins once they rot, but instead turn it into pumpkin amazake – a simple recipe that combines koji fermentation methods with a seasonal autumn twist – pumpkin.

This is just one small solution to a large-scale issue – ending with something delicious, while reducing food waste in the process.

Preserving the Past, Fermenting the Future

The koji community stretches across the entire world, and while originating in Japan thousands of years ago, it holds the power and beauty to continue for generations beyond. 

Expanding the lens on solutions to this food waste emergency is essential to combatting any confusion or denial on how we are able to reverse the impacts and reduce food trash – and learn about new foods that can be turned into something magical.

Most popular on social media for expanding the koji community and educating their followers on what they can make with koji and other fermentation methods, two North-American originating platforms are considered the “kings of koji.”

Nick Adams, co-founder and president of Koji House, encourages that to koji, anything is food, meaning anything can be transformed – especially food waste.

“Whether it’s spent coffee grounds or less than fresh produce, fermenting with koji will not only yield a lower waste product, but often a completely unique cornucopia of flavors and aromas,” told Earth.Org.

Koji House’s flagship program, Koji Connect, is empowering both home and professional cooks alike to use koji in their everyday cooking, recognize its power and potential, and create unique culinary experiences together as a community.

Forwarding the culture and importance of koji, and other mold-based ferments, is key to changing and expanding North America’s culinary landscape. 

Jennifer Rothman, director of the Yellow Farmhouse Education Center, and Rich Shih, author of Koji Academy, realized this importance, and in 2021, amidst the Covid-19 pandemic, decided to co-create an international conference for anyone to learn more about fermentation in the comfort of their homes.

Kojicon is a virtual two-week conference where participants gather from around the world with experts in the koji field to share their passion and skills, utilizing the magic of this edible mold. The Kojicon team encourages all experience levels in this diverse and inclusive international community of koji enthusiasts.”Fermentation, which is the basis of soy sauce production, is a technology that controls spoilage. Therefore, this technology can be used to reuse things that would otherwise be thrown away,” Sato states in an interview in September with Salon.

Understanding how important bringing professionals and newcomers to this special passion is essential for growing fermentation in the food sector, and throughout all other ways of life.

The next Kojicon conference will take place in February 2025 under the slogan “preserving the past, fermenting the future.”Fermentation not only addresses the food crisis by transforming surplus ingredients into preserved, nutritious foods but also connects us to the cultural and historical traditions of various regions, celebrating local flavors while promoting sustainability.

Featured image: Marco Verch.