Sustainable, flavourful and healthy vacuum-dried products from food waste
PROJECT IS COMPLETED
Period: 2014 - 2020
The conversion of food waste into new valuable food ingredients and new products via energy-efficient vacuum-drying opens up the potential of a wide new market for the processing industries, and product developers and chefs.
Overproduction of food in highly developed countries is a reality, and consequently an increasing amount of environmental and economic resources are inefficiently utilised.
The high demand for fresh fruit and vegetable that meet the requirements for quality, freshness, shape and size causes overproduction.
About 110,000 tonnes of edible fruits and vegetables go to waste every year, which is approximately 33 percent of the produced amount of edible fruits and vegetables.
The food waste used as the basis for the present project is fit for human consumption.
The aim of this project is to convert the wasted vegetables, fruits and berries into valuable food ingredients and new products via an energy-efficient vacuum-drying technique, and hereby markedly reduce food waste.
Overproduction of food in highly developed countries is a reality, and consequently an increasing amount of environmental and economic resources are inefficiently utilised.
Drying food is a widely used preservation technique. Freeze-drying is currently the most common drying method. However, vacuum-drying is cheaper as it uses less energy compared to freeze-drying, and thus is significantly more cost effective and environmentally friendly.
Due to the vacuum pressure, the boiling point of the volatile components is reduced, allowing the vacuum-drying process to take place at lower temperatures, e.g. 60°C. Thus, vacuum-drying is more suitable for heat-sensitive products such as fruits, vegetables and berries because it maintains the flavour and nutrient properties.
Funded by:
Project: Sustainable, flavourful and healthy vacuum-dried products from food waste
Original title: Sustainable, flavourful and healthy vacuum dried products from food waste - WasteTaste
Period: 1st of August 2014 - 1st of July 2020
Grant donor: Green Developmet & Demonstration Programme (GUDP)
FOOD grant: DKK 5,114,792
Total budget: DKK 6,638,601
Contact
Sandra S. Wæhrens
Assistant professor
Design and Consumer Behavior
Fact box
Waste
In this sector, by ‘waste’ we refer to peel, ends and odd-shaped pieces of fruit, vegetables and berries that are not considered fit for commercial sale. In addition, we also refer to general overproduction and the overproduction of packed ready-to-eat mixed fruits, vegetables and berries.
Links
News in Danish and international media:
Madspild forvandles til smagskrystaller (Berlingske)
Fra madspild til gastronomisk gevinst (Food Of Life, Danish)
Madkrystaller skal mindske madspild (Food Culture, Danish)
Vakuumtørring kan mindske madspild (Landbrugsavisen, Danish)
Vakuum: Kristalle zum Essen (Schaufenster - diepresse, German)
Grønsagskrystaller forhindrer madspild (science.ku.dk, Danish)
De vil lage mat av søppel (Aperitif, Swedish)
Minimising food waste through vacuum-drying (Science.ku.dk, English)