September/October 2019 - 20

OPERATIONS
REDUCING WASTE
Proper purchasing
Between the field and the point of
sale, fruit encounters many obstacles.
The three main points where losses
occur are at harvest, at packaging and
during transportation, but there are
many other points where losses also
occur, Huesmann said. The supply
chain can include speculators who
sometimes purchase more than they
can sell. Unsold produce usually ends
up going to waste, Huesmann said.
Overproduction, inclement weather
and the harvesting of overripe fruit are
also problems that lead to food loss.
Beyond the point of sale, consumers
 Fruit Consulting CEO Oliver Huesmann speaks on reducing food waste during Fruit Logistica 2019 in
Berlin. Photo: Melanie Epp
Loss
Cutting
Your
REDUCING POSTHARVEST
WASTE REDUCES HUNGER,
BOOSTS BOTTOM LINE
By Melanie Epp
Contributing Writer
BEFOR E R E AC HING T HE
PROCESSING STAGE, fruit has a long
road to travel. Unfortunately, much of it
is lost along the way. In a Fruit Logistica
2019 presentation aimed at helping
processors and vendors understand
how postharvest losses occur, Oliver
Huesmann, CEO of Fruit Consulting
in Spain, described the journey from
field to factory.
When the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations was
18 SEPTEMBER /OCTOBER 2 019
founded in 1945, it developed a mandate
to reduce food losses and waste. Yet in
2018, it was estimated that one-third
of food produced globally is not eaten.
Most produce is lost postharvest, and
in poorer countries, up to 40% of food
produced never reaches the population.
With 800 million people starving or
hungry globally, that extra food could
go a long way in addressing this hunger.
The industry has a responsibility to
understand where those losses are
occurring, and how to reduce them,
Huesmann challenged the crowd
gathered at his talk.
waste product at home when they buy
more than they need. In the grocery
store, they tend to pass over fruit with
marks and bruising, which leads to
further waste. These are problems
particular to industrialized countries,
Huesmann said.
At the beginning of the chain,
growers face challenges with regards
to pricing.
" Many producers cannot make a
living, " he said. " They always have
to look for the cheapest production,
the cheapest labor and how they
can save money in production. Then
supermarkets and wholesalers often
play one producer against another. "
At the end of the growth cycle,
t ry to harvest as
farmers wi l l
economically and efficiently as possible,
Huesmann said. Fruit must be picked,
washed, sorted, graded, stored and
transported. Damage at any one of
these points can reduce shelf life and
increase food waste.
Fruit needs to be harvested at the
optimal time, he said. Typical mistakes
at harvest time include mismanaging
time, and using cheap, untrained
laborers who don't know how to
properly handle fruit or aren't available
at crucial times. Overripe and unpicked
fruit will be wasted.
Processing and packaging
In t reatment
and packaging
operations there are many points where
losses can occur as well, including
during selection, emptying, washing,
waxing and classification (by size and
quality), Huesmann said.
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September/October 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of September/October 2019