Three scientists from the Laboratory of Biological Modeling, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland, have found in a new study published in the open access, peer reviewed journal, PLos ONE, that up to 40 per cent of all the food produced in the U.S. is thrown out. According to the study,
Food waste contributes to excess consumption of freshwater and fossil fuels which, along with methane and CO2 emissions from decomposing food, impacts global climate change. Here, we calculate the energy content of nationwide food waste from the difference between the US food supply and the food consumed by the population.
The latter was estimated using a validated mathematical model of metabolism relating body weight to the amount of food eaten. We found that US per capita food waste has progressively increased by ~50% since 1974 reaching more than 1400 kcal per person per day or 150 trillion kcal per year. Food waste now accounts for more than one quarter of the total freshwater consumption and ~300 million barrels of oil per year.
To read the complete scientific study, click HERE.
Combine the waste of food with the problems of distribution of food, and it throws a big bucket of water on the corporate mantra of we need GMOs to feed the world.
Photo credit: Sporkist’s Flickr photostream
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