The Food Waste Reduction Alliance has issued an updated guide on best practices to help food manufacturers, food retailers and restaurants cut food waste.
 
The second annual Best Practices and Emerging Solutions guide describes how companies can begin or expand their food donation or food waste diversion programs, according to a release from the alliance. The guide focuses on strategies food manufacturers, retailers and restaurant and foodservice operators can use to keep food out of landfills, and to reduce food waste at the source, according to the release.
 
The alliance is an initiative led by the Food Marketing Institute, the Grocery Manufacturers Association and the National Restaurant Association.
 
“The real value this project offers is the perspective of industry — compiled by companies for companies,” Christy Cook, director of sustainability performance and field support for Sodexo, said in the release. “It shares industry successes and suggestions around how to overcome potential food donation obstacles such as liability issues, transportation constraints and insufficient storage and refrigeration at food banks.”
 
Cook said the guide also highlights ways to recycle food waste such as recovering energy from food waste materials and redirection of organic materials.
 
“Approximately 80 billion pounds of food waste is discarded in U.S. landfills each year and the issue is now getting national attention following the announcement of (the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Environmental Protection Agency’s) first-ever national food waste reduction goals in September,” Patti Olenick, Sustainability Manager for Weis Markets Inc. said in the release. “In order to achieve a 50% reduction by 2030, corporations everywhere will be looking to do their part. This guide should be the first step they take.”