Chilling Change: How a 3°C Rise in Frozen Meals Temperatures May Revolutionise Sustainability
A current research led by a world group of scientists, together with consultants from the College of Birmingham, the Paris-based Worldwide Institute of Refrigeration, and London South Financial institution College, has revealed {that a} mere 3°C enhance within the temperature at which frozen meals is saved may considerably cut back meals loss and carbon emissions.
This groundbreaking analysis, printed within the report “Three Levels of Change,” means that altering frozen meals storage temperatures from -18°C to -15°C may save the equal carbon dioxide emissions of three.8 million automobiles yearly.
Professor Toby Peters from the College of Birmingham, a number one determine within the research, emphasised the crucial nature of this discovering. He acknowledged, “Globally, 12% of meals produced yearly for human consumption is misplaced as a consequence of an absence of correct temperature administration.
With an rising international inhabitants and a quickly warming planet decreasing meals manufacturing, it’s of the utmost significance that we discover methods to fight meals loss to realize international equitable meals safety. Freezing meals is one such technique, however we have to obtain this as vitality effectively and sustainably as potential.”
The analysis highlights that frozen meals, which cut back family meals waste by 47% in comparison with recent meals classes, play an important position in extending product shelf life and permitting for higher consumption planning. Dr Leyla Sayin from the College of Birmingham added, “Rising the temperature of frozen meals by 3°C would make freezing meals far much less environmentally damaging.
The usual temperature of -18°C was determined 93 years in the past and has not modified since, so we have now an inbuilt means of ‘over-freezing’ meals. It’s completely protected to freeze meals at the next temperature of -15°C, which might make freezing meals on the level of harvest simpler in hotter climates and to take care of throughout transportation.”
Maha AlQattan, Group Chief Sustainability Officer at DP World, commented on the outdated requirements of frozen meals, stating, “Frozen meals requirements haven’t been up to date in virtually a century. They’re lengthy overdue for revision.”
She additional famous the formation of an industry-wide coalition, Be a part of the Transfer to -15°C, to discover the feasibility of this modification and help collaboration throughout the {industry} to realize the sector’s shared net-zero ambition by 2050.
This analysis and the following initiatives signify a big step in the direction of remodeling the worldwide meals and chilly chain, doubtlessly revolutionising storage applied sciences in all markets to freeze meals at sustainable temperatures, thereby decreasing meals shortage for weak and developed communities alike.
