Bad food

There is a front page story in today's Independent about waste in the food industry. Follow this link for the story http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/article2175016.ece. They are running a campaign to reduce the amount of packaging the food industry uses. It is worthwhile and I urge anyone reading this to join in. I've seen the shrink wrapped turnips myself and it is completely absurd. Turnips are all but indestructable and the shrink wrap is rather difficult to get into. It's completely bizarre. It's also only part of the story when it comes to waste in the food industry.

I think part of the reason for excess packaging is the consumer's deep spiritual need for perfect food. Everything has to look like it's come straight off the front page of a lifestyle cook book. Carrots and courgettes can only be bought if they look fit to nestle in Nigella Lawson's bosom. The big supermarkets have very tight specifications for fruit and vegetables and reject anything which doesn't meet them. It could be that the carrots are slightly mis-shapen, or the apples are too large or too small. It is seldom because the food is spoiled. The rejected consignments are returned to the supplier which is expensive in both cash and food miles terms.

There is also the problem of what we ourselves do with all the food we buy and do not actually consume. Think about what sits in the bottom of your fridge. There's probably at least half a pepper and a bag of washed salad leaves. How long do you keep it before you just chuck it in the bin? And I bet you just go and get some more. Retailers are obliged to dispose of food which has gone past its sell by date. Please follow this link to the Guardian's website for some more on the problem http://environment.guardian.co.uk/waste/story/0,,1985320,00.html.

The article says that Britain disposes of 15 million tons of food every year. 15 million tons. Think about it. It all has to be grown, tended, paid for, transported several times and then it just ends up in landfill. It's immoral.