With consumers expecting more from what they eat and keeping a closer eye on affordability, reformulation has become a non-negotiable strategy for food and beverage companies seeking to succeed in today’s complex and fast-moving market.

By prioritising cost efficiency, health-focused innovation, and waste reduction, businesses can better manage sourcing, supply chain, and trade challenges while delivering profitable, high-quality products that align with the expectations of health-conscious consumers.  As reformulation increasingly shifts from a competitive advantage to an industry requirement, manufacturers have a timely opportunity to act now and position themselves ahead of the curve.

To read more click on: The Future of Food: Reformulating for Sustainable Nutrition – Food Industry Executive

Our reliance on nature, coupled with the continued degradation of natural systems, creates risks for society and has led to an increased consumer expectation that businesses will take greater responsibility for their impact on ecosystems and the planet.

In response to these risks and consumer expectations, companies are embedding nature into their sustainability commitments and strategies.  Guided by frameworks such as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and The Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), companies are setting targets and taking action to achieve nature-positive* outcomes.
* Definitions of key terms are provided in Appendix 1.

What is Nature and Biodiversity?

These terms are often used interchangeably because biodiversity is an integral part of nature.  Threats to one will almost always affect the other.

Biodiversity flourishes within healthy natural ecosystems, and those ecosystems, in turn, rely on biodiversity to remain resilient and functional.

This creates a relationship which is so profound that addressing one effectively means addressing both ³.

The Climate, Nature and People Connection

Nature is a critical ally in addressing climate change and strengthening our ability to adapt to its impacts.  Climate change and nature loss are deeply intertwined challenges that can impact food security and that must be tackled together ⁴.

Figure 1. The relationship between Climate Change, Nature, and People ⁴
Source: Adapted from WWF. (2019). Climate, Nature and our 1.5°C Future. WWF International.

The three pillars of climate change, nature loss, and people are often considered in isolation.  However, adopting a holistic perspective allows for a deeper understanding of their interactions and the development of integrated solutions ⁴.  Climate change contributes to nature loss through rising temperatures and extreme weather events, which affect terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Conversely, nature loss exacerbates climate change, as the conversion of natural habitats – such as grasslands, forests, and wetlands – for agriculture or urban development releases stored carbon into the atmosphere ⁵.  Human activity is central to this feedback loop, being one of the primary drivers of both climate change and nature loss ⁶.

Despite the challenges, there is a clear opportunity; natural systems play a vital role in regulating the climate, sustaining food production, and supporting communities.  Investing in nature can provide co-benefits for climate mitigation, adaptation, and social wellbeing, ultimately creating a more sustainable and equitable future ⁷.

The Nature Crisis and The Food System

Nature loss poses a significant threat to business operations, particularly within the agricultural and food production sector, where there is a direct dependency on environmental factors including soil health, water security, and pollinator species.

We need ecosystems to thrive to ensure that food production can sustain the planet’s growing population.  For decades, agricultural policy has helped deliver abundant food, but often at the cost of biodiversity, fertile soil, water resources and a stable climate, prioritising high yields to meet demand over long-term sustainability ⁸.

Currently, 50% of all habitable land is used for agriculture ⁹.  To meet growing population pressures, forests are increasingly cleared for farmland, leading to habitat destruction which reduces biodiversity and raises CO_₂ emissions.  In fact, food systems account for over a third of global greenhouse gas emissions ¹⁰.

Moreover, agriculture accounts for 70% of global freshwater withdrawals and is a leading source of water pollution, which can create challenges in regions already facing water risk ¹¹.  Consequently, in just over 50 years (1970-2020), there has been a decline of approximately 73% in the average size of monitored wildlife populations ⁴.  This decline can be attributed to five major drivers of biodiversity loss ¹², which are outlined in Table 1 :

Table 1. Major drivers of biodiversity loss ¹²

Transforming food systems is not just an environmental imperative which can address the root causes of biodiversity loss – it is a strategic necessity for the global community to ensure economic prosperity, climate resilience, and long-term food security ¹⁷.

Protecting Nature and Biodiversity for Food Security

Protecting and preserving our oceans, forests, species, and soils safeguards our natural resources and can help us realise a world of sustainable nutrition.  By working in harmony with nature, the food and beverage industry has a unique opportunity to drive real environmental change across supply chains.  Some important areas of focus for our industry are soil health, avoiding further land conversion, and protecting the abundance of species that surround us and the area in which we operate.

Restoring soils
Around 95% of our food relies on healthy soil, yet one-third of the world’s soil is already degraded ¹⁸.   If conventional farming practices continue, we may be facing a future with only sixty harvests remaining ⁸.  With topsoil eroding 100 times faster than can be naturally replenished ¹⁹, immediate intervention at farm-level is essential.

Soil holds 25% of the world’s biodiversity ²⁰, providing plants and crops with the essential nutrients and moisture they need to grow and survive.  Studies have highlighted the important role regenerative agriculture can play in reviving degraded soil, promoting long-term productivity and ecosystem health.  Fertile soil can support carbon sequestration, with the top metre of soil around the world containing three times more carbon than the entire atmosphere ²¹.  This highlights the strong link between soil quality, climate stability, and nature-positive benefits.

Supporting farmer education and offering incentives for practices including cover cropping, intercropping, reduced tillage, and organic composting is a practical and effective way to enhance soil health across arable land ²².  These practices also deliver co-benefits that address climate change, water conservation, and pollution.

Conserving land
Agricultural expansion stands as the primary driver of global deforestation ²³ as forests are converted to make room for plantations cultivating high-demand crops such as palm oil, soy oil, rubber, coffee, tea, and rice.  This transformation is driven by the rising global appetite for food and consumer goods ²⁴.  Companies in the food and beverage industry have a responsibility and an opportunity to ensure their supply chains do not contribute to further deforestation.

By eliminating deforestation and land conversion, companies can ensure that the raw materials they source are not linked to environmentally destructive practices.  Implementing a clear Deforestation and Conversion Free (DCF) policy and collaborating with suppliers to enhance supply chain transparency are key to achieving this goal.

Preventing deforestation and conversion benefits both local and global communities.  Forests store carbon, enhance soil fertility, safeguard watersheds, and provide habitat for a range of species.  This, in turn, strengthens biodiversity and food security ²⁵.

Supporting species
When a species’ population declines below a certain threshold, its ability to perform natural functions can be disrupted.  This includes processes such as seed dispersal, pollination, grazing and nutrient cycling which contribute to ecosystem health and agricultural productivity.  Many pollinator species are facing the threat of extinction, an alarming trend given their role in sustaining 35% of the world’s crop production ²⁶.  Statistically, nearly 75% of crops that yield fruits and seeds consumed by humans rely on pollinators to some extent ²⁶.

A decline in crop yields also poses a serious risk to the stability of supply chains and drives up food prices globally.  A diverse range of species on farmland plays a valuable role in managing pests and parasites that threaten food-producing crops and livestock ²⁷.  These species are also key contributors to crop reproduction, enhancing both the quality and quantity of harvests.  Working with farmers to develop diversified farming systems that include hedgerows, wildflower strips, and different varieties of the same crop create habitats for pollinators and is beneficial to insects ²⁸.

In Summary

As the food and beverage industry responds to the compounding climate and nature risks, it is evident that working in harmony with nature offers a powerful means to address food insecurity through actions that protect, sustainably manage and restore ecosystems ²⁹.  Industry awareness of our reliance on nature is growing as businesses recognise their dependence on natural systems, the risks posed by nature loss, and the strategic value of integrating nature for long-term resilience and delivering against climate goals ³⁰.

By embedding nature-positive practices into food production and supply chains, businesses can harness the benefits of nature while actively contributing to its preservation.  Nature is not an unlimited resource, and our food systems are key to helping safeguard it.

Attendees at the World Summit on Food & Nutrition Technology

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is on the Rise

AI solutions and their diverse benefits were showcased at the Summit, highlighting their transformative potential across the food industry.  For example, AI can enhance product formulation by creating more nutritious recipes while simultaneously reducing costs.  It also enables manufacturers to streamline production workflows, boosting efficiency and ensuring consistent, repeatable outcomes.  Increasingly, food businesses are integrating AI into their systems to offer customers clearer routes to improved product quality and more competitive pricing in the marketplace.

Future Proofing our Food Systems

Currently 75% of the food sources that humans rely on come from 12 species of plants and 5 species of animals.  To guarantee our future food system is resilient; we must adopt new solutions to feed the growing population.  At the Summit, topics on regenerative farming frameworks, embracing circular product design, and emerging technologies such as cultivated meat were presented.  Additionally, European regulations on these novel foods and different processing aids were addressed.  Further research on emerging innovations for a more sustainable future food system is continuing and will provide more direction for the future.

Accessible Nutrition – Breaking Down Barriers

Representing the KHNI, Hilary McCahill provided insights into breaking down barriers to accessible nutrition, which is one of the top ten KHNI health and nutrition trends for 2025.  Hilary highlighted the current challenges to the current food system and addressed how food industry can harness the four pillars of sustainable nutrition – Nutritional quality of a diet, Affordability, Environmental impact, Cultural Acceptability – to help implement pragmatic solutions that meet consumers’ nutrition needs.

Hilary McCahill presenting at the World Summit 

Food science and nutrition professionals should consider how meals foster a sense of community and evoke personal memories.  To ensure inclusivity, cultural norms and emotional needs when delivering new solutions to market must be harnessed.  Hilary emphasised the need for joint efforts between food manufacturers and policymakers to ensure that nutritious, sustainable, and widely accessible food choices reach people across all communities.

In recent years, there has been a greater shift towards machine learning and AI, and the incorporation of these technologies into food production.  The prevailing sentiment at this year’s Summit was one of optimism, with a strong belief that emerging scientific advancements will play a vital role in future proofing our food system for generations to come.

What is Regenerative Agriculture?

Regenerative agriculture is an innovative approach to farming that blends age-old traditions with modern sustainable practices.  It draws inspiration from indigenous farming techniques that work in harmony with nature to revitalize ecosystems and enhance biodiversity¹.  This approach is not only about sustaining current resources but also about actively restoring and regenerating the health of our planet.  More than half of the world’s agricultural land is degraded, resulting in $400 billion a year in productivity losses and posing a significant risk to future food security².  Regenerative agriculture offers a crucial solution to this pressing issue by focusing on topsoil regeneration, increasing biodiversity, improving the water cycle, and enhancing ecosystem services³.  At its core, regenerative agriculture aims to reverse climate change by rebuilding soil organic matter and restoring degraded soil biodiversity, leading to carbon drawdown and an improved water cycle⁴.

Regenerative agriculture has a few main practices:

• • No-till Farming: Avoiding tillage minimizes soil disturbance and promotes soil health⁵.  This practice helps to preserve soil structure, reduce erosion, and enhance water infiltration.
  • Cover Cropping: Planting cover crops protects the soil, improves soil health, and suppresses weeds⁶.  Cover crops also help to increase biodiversity and provide habitat for beneficial insects.
  • Crop Rotation: Rotating crops helps maintain soil fertility and control pests and diseases⁶.  This practice also helps to break pest cycles and reduce the need for synthetic pesticides.
  • Composting: Adding compost to the soil improves soil health and provides nutrients⁷.  Compost adds organic matter to the soil, enhancing its water-holding capacity and nutrient content.
  • Reducing Chemical Inputs: Regenerative agriculture prioritizes the use of natural inputs and minimises reliance on synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides⁶.  This helps to protect soil health, biodiversity, and water quality.
  • Integrating Livestock: Incorporating livestock into farming systems enhances nutrient cycling and improves soil health¹.  Livestock grazing can be managed to mimic natural grazing patterns, promoting plant growth and soil fertility.

Each of these practices can be adopted independently, or paired with one or all other regenerative agricultural practices.  Regardless of which practices are adopted, the aim is to reduce the negative planetary impact of farming, which can be exacerbated by conventional farming practices, and preserve the land for years to come.

The Challenges Regenerative Agriculture

While regenerative agriculture offers numerous benefits, it’s important to acknowledge potential disadvantages.  It can take several years to see significant improvements in soil health and yields. Some practices, such as rotational grazing and cover cropping, can be labour-intensive, requiring careful planning and management⁸.

In most cases, the transition from conventional to regenerative farming practices involves a high upfront cost for the farmer, of which the return on investment may not be seen for years.  While there are incentives from organizations like the USDA that can support the transition to regenerative farming practices, the initial cost for the farmer is often a barrier to adoption.

Soil health & carbon sequestration

Regenerative agriculture practices enhance soil health by increasing soil organic matter, improving soil structure, and promoting beneficial microbial activity¹⁰.  Healthy soils are more resilient to extreme weather events, such as droughts and heavy rainfall¹¹.  The world’s soils store several times the amount of carbon as the atmosphere, acting as a natural “carbon sink.” However, globally, soil carbon stocks have been declining due to factors like land conversion and overgrazing.  Regenerative agriculture aims to restore soil carbon by utilising the carbon that plants have absorbed from the atmosphere¹².  Regenerative practices like cover cropping and reduced tillage help maintain soil integrity, preventing carbon release, and promoting carbon storage¹³.  Agriculture is a major contributor to climate change due to deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions, making carbon sequestration a crucial aspect of regenerative agriculture¹⁴.

A key benefit to more widespread adoption of regenerative agriculture is that of soil health and it’s sustainability for future generations.  Conventional farming practices such as tillage and intensive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides can lead to soil degradation and a decline in productivity.  Regenerative agriculture is purported by advocates as a solution to these issues that focuses on enhanced soil health and carbon sequestration⁹.  Carbon sequestration is the most preferred method for large companies looking to reduce their footprint and meet their sustainability goals.

As food and beverage companies turn to regenerative agricultural practices to make a positive environmental impact and move closer to their sustainability targets, the main benefits are around farmer engagement and support, ingredient sourcing, and product labelling.  Appealing to the environmentally conscious consumer is crucial for these organisations as consumers become more educated on the topics of sustainability.  Responsible sourcing and growing practices offered by regenerative agriculture has certainly piqued the interest of these sustainability-forward consumer bases.  Sourcing ingredients for their products from farmers who implement regenerative agricultural practices at farm-level, financially incentivising farmers to convert from typical farming practices to regenerative ones, and the ability to claim the positive carbon impact in their reporting are all reasons food and beverage companies are increasingly interested in regenerative agriculture.

Here is an example of a regenerative agriculture program relating to dairy production in Ireland.

It is likely that the adoption of regenerative agricultural programs and use in products will continue to be widely adopted across the food and beverage industry as companies work to meet their climate commitments.  A reminder that often, achieving progress against sustainability targets requires humanity to go back to age-old practices to keep the Earth healthy and bountiful for future generations.

Emma Cahill, MSc, presenting on recent research regarding the use of digital food waste estimators and their impact on shelf-life extension at IUFoST 2024.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) an estimated 14% of the world’s food is lost per year between harvest and retail market.  Additionally, approximately 17% of this food waste is generated at the retail and consumer levels. (1) With an ever-growing population (expected to reach 9.6 billion by 2050), sustainable nutrition solutions to tackle food waste are a necessity.  One method being implemented in the food industry is using Food Waste estimators.  These tools are used by food industry leaders to calculate the potential food waste reduction and the nutritional and environmental impact by extending shelf-life of foods.  This raises the question: How do these tools work and how effective are they at reducing food waste?  A recent study investigated these tools with promising results.

What is a food waste estimator and how does it work?

A food waste estimator is a digital tool designed to quantify and predict the potential reduction in food waste by analysing the downstream impact of food’s extra shelf-life days.  The goal of developing these food waste estimators is not only to make them accurate, but also user-friendly for ease of use connecting multiple data sources and making it easy to draw actionable conclusions.

These tools typically use data inputs about food category, region, production volumes and current shelf life to model the scale to which extending a product’s shelf life can reduce waste.  By doing so, they offer actionable insights, helping businesses and consumers optimize food use, minimize waste, and make more sustainable choices, reducing environmental impacts such as greenhouse gas emissions and water consumption.

How impactful are these food waste estimators?

In a recent study conducted by the Department of Food Science and Technology at the University of Georgia (in collaboration with Kerry, Inc.), researchers investigated the use of a food waste estimator and the outcomes of its use. The objective of this study was to present the methodology used to develop a food waste estimator that links shelf-life data with food waste reduction potential, quantify the environmental impact in terms of CO2 emission and water usage reduction, and estimate the nutritional reach impact. The study analyzed two case studies.

Case study 1 – Poultry Farming

With poultry being one of the most widely consumed meats in the world (~140 million tons per year), the study selected poultry as one model to demonstrate the effectiveness of the food waste estimator. The scenarios evaluated the percentage of product that goes to waste when known (scenario 1) and unknown (scenario 2). Assuming 1,000 kg/day production rate and using a product shelf-life of 25 days with poultry produced in Europe, the study evaluated the potential for food waste reduction by extending the shelf-life.

Figure 1 – Inputs and outcomes derived from waste estimator for poultry.

In scenario 1, assuming an extended shelf life of poultry meat by ten days (40% shelf-life extension) with 20% of the product going to waste, it was discovered that it is possible to achieve a potential reduction in waste volume of 57 kg/day (at a production scale of 1000 kg/day). That quantity of 57 kg corresponds to a reduction of 6% in the total volume of poultry meat production per day, specific to food waste. In terms of environmental impact, a daily emission of 457 kg of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and a daily consumption of 656,571 L of water would be avoided. Lastly, the social impact of prolonging the poultry meat’s shelf life by ten days would be that 32 people could be fed per day.

In scenario 2, where the amount of product that goes to waste across the stages of the supply chain is unknown, extending the shelf life of poultry meat by 40% (ten days) saw a potential volume waste reduction of 71 kg/day of poultry meat. This corresponds to 7% of food waste that would be reduced from the total volume production of poultry meat in a single day. Regarding environmental impact, an emission of 567 kg of CO2 and a consumption of 814,149 L of water would be avoided. Finally, the social benefit of extending the poultry meat product’s shelf life by two days would be that 40 people could be fed per day.

Case Study 2 – Bread Manufacturing

Researchers also evaluated bread in the food waste estimator due to it being a staple food consumed daily in many countries globally and due it being regarded as a significant source of nutrients. Similar to the Poultry case study, bread was evaluated in two scenarios where the food going to waste was known and unknown. The bread was again assumed to be produced Europe at a rate of 1,000 kg per day with a 5-day shelf-life.

Figure 2- Inputs and outcomes derived from the food waste estimator for the bread case study.

In scenario 1, the product going to waste was known to be 30%. This was based on information from FAO where it was reported that the average global waste of bread was 29.1%. Based on the food waste estimator, it was determined that there was a 5% reduction in waste when increasing the shelf-life by 1 day (or 20%) while resulting in the avoidance of 155 kg of CO2 emission and the consumption of 248,000 L of water. This in turn could potentially feed 28 individuals per day.

In scenario 2, where the waste was considered to be unknown, again by increasing the shelf-life by just 1 day saw a 7% reduction in waste and reduction in 192 kg of CO2 emission and 307,520 L of water consumption.

Outcomes:

It was found that tools like the food waste estimator studied could provide valid indicative comparisons of the downstream food waste impact of shelf-life extension, whether based on own-data or market estimates. These insights can be used for project valuation and prioritization by the food and beverage industry and effectively link shelf-life extension to downstream food waste reduction.

Conclusion:

In the ongoing goals of reducing food waste, extending the shelf-life of food products has rapidly emerged as a powerful to support and promote sustainability. From this work, it has been demonstrated that food waste calculators play a vital in shelf-life extension strategy, offering insights into reducing food waste, carbon emissions, and water usage. These cases studies underscore the value of data-driven digital tools used for building more sustainable food systems as well as a future focused on sustainable nutrition.

By following a sustainable diet, the general population can meet their nutritional requirements; whilst also adhering to the environmental impact concerns that we currently face today.

What is a Sustainable Diet?

A sustainable diet as described by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – is a dietary pattern that promotes all dimensions of health and wellbeing; has a low environmental impact; is accessible, affordable, safe and equitable; and is culturally acceptable.

In essence, a sustainable diet is one that is nutritionally complete and that accounts for the environmental and cultural context of food consumption ^1,2.  This definition of sustainable diets is in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development goals (SDGs).  The SDGs ensure that we promote prosperity whilst also protecting the planet.

As we move forward towards a more sustainable way of producing food, it is very important for food manufacturers and consumers to be mindful of the role that sustainable FBDGs play in the future of food production and consumption.

How to Make Diets More Sustainable?

Many countries have started to incorporate sustainability aspects in their FBDGs.  Some have more robust guidelines than others, however it is encouraging to see that year on year there are more countries taking ownership of sustainable diets by involving their national governments.  In the current FBDGs set out by several countries, there are many overlapping topics, such as: biodiversity, reduction of food waste and incorporating more plants into the diet ^3,4.

At the 2024 Federation of European Nutrition Societies conference (FENS) in Serbia, several member countries presented how sustainability is incorporated into their FBDGs and how the messages were rolled out to the nationally.  They discussed their campaigns, how the projects were communicated to the public and some of the key themes.  For instance, Denmark and Flanders in Belgium highlighted key messages discussing the importance of eating plant rich foods, increasing vegetable consumption, decreasing meat consumption, choosing wholegrains, choosing plant oil, reducing sweet/salty and fatty foods, quenching thirst with water and choosing sustainably sourced foods ⁵.

The Italian government has created a dedicated sustainability chapter in their FBDGs that discusses aspects such as packaging, socio-economic sustainability and myth busting of mis-interpreted statements related to sustainability ⁶.

Several organisations have commented on how important it is that the principles of sustainability are led by experts in the field.  By correctly establishing these requirements in relation to public health, national governments can guarantee adherence to policy and feel confident that they can begin to transform their current food systems ^7,8.

What can Consumers Do?

In addition to FBDGs, consumers can adopt approaches to eat in a more sustainable way.  Variety in the diet is important to ensure adequate nutrient consumption and fuelling the body with enough energy.  Boosting variety can be accomplished by incorporating more fruit, vegetables, and plant-based sources.

Although it may be it is easier for the body to absorb nutrients from meats, there are ways that to improve nutrient absorption from plant-based foods.  For example, having a source of vitamin C (such as a glass of fresh orange juice with a meal) can assist with the absorption of iron.  For more detail, click: Nutrition for Plant-based Diets: Managing Nutrient Intake and Bioavailability

In addition to increased diversity in the diet, another focus should be reducing the amounts of high fat, salt and/or sugar-containing foods in the diet.  This is effective to reduce carbon production as the production of these foods contribute to greenhouse gas emissions along with high water consumption ^9,10.

Food waste also contributes a large component to climate change with approximately one third of food produced each year being wasted prior to consumption ¹¹.  This is why it is important to minimise food waste where we can by only purchasing what we are going to consume, eating seasonally and understanding the difference between ‘use by’ and ‘best before’ dates ^12,13.

Conclusion

As we move toward transforming how food is consumed and produced, achieving a sustainable food system must be considered.  Many countries are including sustainable nutrition recommendations as part of their FBDGs to encourage their population to reflect on the environmental impact as well as the health impact of their food choices.

Many governments globally have stressed the importance of consumer buy-in to ensure the effective implementation of these guidelines.  Sustainability is a key word for the public to be aware of and by strengthening their understanding of this, it will be easier to integrate environmental recommendations into public health legislation and policy.

The recommendation is to transition dietary patterns from animal-based diets which contain plant products to largely plant-based diets that contain animal products. ^[2] According to the growing body of evidence a change in consumption patterns in line with this recommendation would considerably reduce the environmental impact of food production. ^[3]

Reducing the environmental impact of food production and consumption is a key priority, however there may be unintended nutritional consequences of making dietary choices based solely on the environmental impacts of foods. In response to the original EAT recommendations for a planetary healthy diet, further research ^[4] has indicated that on the nutritional adequacy should not be assumed especially for iron, calcium and zinc.

Our diets are more complex than the individual foods they contain. Alongside environmental impacts, we must also balance nutritional adequacy, economic affordability and cultural acceptance. Cultural and traditional importance of foods is an important factor to understand when desiring to change consumer behaviour. When the characteristics of global diets are considered across multiple dimensions research suggest that the most sustainable diet from a health and resource perspective contains a diverse range of food groups, minimally processed foods, low food waste and efficient cooking methods. When compared to the average western type of diet there are come stark contrasts. ^[5]

Source: HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF DIFFERENT DIETS  | Scientific Diagram (researchgate.net)

Replacing animal derived meat and dairy foods with plant-based alternatives, either traditional or novel plant-based foods will not always provide nutrient equivalence. Some processed plant-based foods may lead to increased intake of public health sensitive nutrients such as fat, sodium and sugar. ^[6]

In recent years, much of the narrative has been on less animal derived foods, rather than more plant-based foods. However, if we pause and look at  the main causes of death and disability adjusted life years (DALYs), according to the 2017 Global Burden of Disease study, overconsumption of salt and sugar and underconsumption of fruit, vegetables, wholegrain, oily fish and milk had high associations with negative health indicators. Low intakes of milk and calcium deficiency and over consumption of processed and red meat were identified in the top 15 indicators for death and DALYs.^[7]

Overall excluding naturally nutrient dense products is a dietary trend that leads to negative health consequences.

The Significance of Dairy within Sustainable Diets

Dairy foods have an important role to play across the four dimensions of a sustainable diet: low environmental impact, nutritional adequacy, economic affordability and cultural acceptance.

From a nutrient perspective dairy is considered to be a whole food by itself, a naturally rich source of high-quality protein, essential vitamins and minerals, notably calcium and B vitamins. As a food group dairy is included in the majority of country level dietary recommendations, approximately three serves per day, and is particularly important in the diets of children, adolescents, pregnant women and older adults for bone and muscle health.

Taste and price remain the main drivers of consumer purchases, affordability is a key consideration in the transition to more sustainable diets. Achieving nutrient adequacy affordably through plant-based products alone is challenging and recent studies conducted in the US ^[8] and New Zealand ^[9] found that animal sourced foods are required for minimum cost nutritionally adequate food patterns and identified milk as a large component of the nutritionally adequate diets with the lowest cost. In lower socio -economic populations dairy provides essential protein and nutrients necessary for muscle and bones development in children and according to a recent FAO study ^[10], dairy consumption is associated with improved child linear growth and reduced stunting.

The carbon emissions associated with animal products, including dairy, have been shown to be significantly higher than plant-based alternatives when compared on a gram of product basis. The impact of the same products when compared on a calorie basis or a gram of protein basis demonstrates a smaller difference in carbon emissions. This demonstrates the importance of considering the carbon impact alongside the nutritional quality of products and in the context of whole diets rather than individual foods.

More recent studies have demonstrated that a person’s overall dietary pattern may be more impactful in terms of carbon impact and sustainability than the selection of individual foods. For example an Irish study, concluded that a culturally sustainable diet which included daily intakes of animal products and low intakes of processed foods had a lower carbon footprint than a diet that was considered nutritionally sustainable, i.e. ‘flexitarian’ style diet. A sustainable diet that meets dietary requirements for health with lower carbon emissions can be achieved without eliminating meat or dairy products or increasing the cost to the consumer. ^{[12] , [13]}

To improve the overall impact of dairy within a sustainable diet, it is vital to reduce the carbon emissions linked with the production of dairy. the majority of these carbon emissions are generated at the farm ^[14], and multiple technologies and on farm interventions are now emerging to support the reduction and removal of carbon emissions across dairy production systems. For example, enteric methane inhibitors and low emission fertilisers are now available which can significantly reduce the emissions related to dairy production.

Other technologies, for example precision fermentation, which look at producing dairy fats and proteins from non-dairy sources are also emerging. These technologies recognise the high nutrient value of dairy nutrient in the diet and focus on re- creating them with lower carbon impact. These technologies are promising in terms of taste and functionality, but the cost and scalability of the solutions is not yet feasible to see these products become more readily available.

Conclusion

Considering diet across a broader spectrum of influences such as availability of food, natural versus processed, affordability and culturally acceptability may provide a better indicator of sustainability rather than just comparing the carbon footprints of products in isolation.

There is a balance between reducing animal derived foods for environmental purposes and avoiding negative health implications particularly in low-income countries and low socio-economic populations, where affordability and lack of dietary diversity increases the importance of nutrient-rich dairy foods as a source of protein and essential micronutrients.

Food sits at the centre of a defining global challenge: nourishing a growing population while addressing the accelerating degradation of our planet’s ecosystems. Ensuring universal access to healthy, nutritious food is essential, yet it must be achieved within the limits of the planet’s natural resources.  Therefore, urgent shifts are needed in how food is produced and consumed to support both people and the planet.

Protecting our oceans, forests, species, and soils safeguards our natural resources and can support a world of sustainable nutrition.  Across industry, sustainability reporting has risen markedly, almost tripling within a few years ³.  This trend signals stronger organisational commitment and heightened recognition that sustainability must be central to business strategy.   As a result, attention to sustainable nutrition has also grown substantially.

In 2015, all UN Member States adopted the UN Sustainable Development Goals (Figure 1) ⁴, which serve as a roadmap for sustainability goals companies are adopting around the world.  The good news is that, as of 2024, 530 policies related to sustainable consumption and production were reported across 71 countries — a 6% increase from 2023 ³.

Figure 1. UN Sustainable Development Goals

What is Sustainable Nutrition?

Although ‘sustainability’ is a term without a universally accepted definition; the Brundtland Commission defined a ‘sustainable food system’ as a food system that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs ⁵.

Sustainable nutrition encompasses interconnected elements of the food system ensuring diets support both people and the planet.  Seven food system metrics were developed to assess ‘sustainable nutrition security’ ⁶.   The chosen metrics were:

• • Food nutrient adequacy
  • Ecosystem stability
  • Food affordability and availability
  • Sociocultural wellbeing
  • Supply chain Resilience
  • Food safety
  • Waste and loss reduction

These metrics were identified as essential indicators of food‑system performance, spanning human health impacts and the social, economic, and environmental pillars of sustainability.

More recently, the concept of sustainable nutrition was described as encompassing optimal and health-promoting diets while ensuring cultural acceptability, easy accessibility, along with lowering environmental impacts throughout the food system ⁷.   Because of its complex nature, sustainable nutrition requires a holistic view to interpret all the critical elements along the food chain, from production contexts and impacts to such consequences of food consumption involving nutrient provision, health benefits, and dietary preferences ⁸.

How can Sustainable Nutrition be Achieved?

Sustainable nutrition, food consumption and production must combine all dimensions of sustainability to avoid unintended consequences to public health, the planet, and/or societies.

Progressing toward sustainable food systems requires coordinated action across the entire value chain — from production and processing to consumption and waste management.  This encompasses shifting to healthier, lower‑impact diets, adopting more resource‑efficient and climate‑smart production practices, reducing food loss and waste, advancing circular approaches, ensuring equitable access to nutritious food, and strengthening innovation and collaboration across the value chain.

Industry momentum around sustainable nutrition is accelerating.  Companies are innovating with lower‑impact ingredients, expanding sustainability reporting, aligning with global frameworks, reducing food waste especially by ways of upcycling, and investing in circularity and regenerative practices.  Health, sustainability, and transparency are increasingly shaping product development, innovation, and long‑term business strategy across the food system.

To read about Sustainable Diets, click:  Embedding Sustainable Nutrition into Dietary Guidelines

Conclusion

Achieving sustainable nutrition will depend on successful coordinated actions across sectors.  Industry innovation, scientific insights, and cross‑sector collaboration will be essential to drive this transition.  Ultimately, sustainable nutrition is about creating food systems that nourish people and protect the planet — ensuring that healthy diets are available, accessible, and environmentally responsible for generations to come.

With the global population predicted to grow to 9.7 billion by 2050, there is increased focus on sustainable food production to meet rising demand worldwide. One major consideration is how food production contributes to food waste and how food waste impacts the world. In this article, we take a holistic and collaborative approach to understanding how food waste is created and how reducing food waste can benefit the environment, industry, and consumers alike. 

The urgency around reducing food waste.  

An estimated 33% of all food produced globally, goes to waste¹. In the US this figure is as high as 50% ².  

At a time when sustainable food systems are globally imperative, food waste reduction has a role to play financially, socially and environmentally. A loaf of bread or a pack of ham that is past its date is not just wasted food and a lost sale. This also costs water and energy and creates CO2 emissions. It’s also a missed opportunity to nourish an ever-growing population, magnifying issues of hunger and malnutrition. 

There are many opportunities throughout a products lifecycle to reduce food waste, including during the growing, post-harvesting storage, processing, packing, transport, retail stages and consumer behaviour. A reduction in food waste through preservation can benefit manufacturers, retails and consumers through extended shelf life, protect margins and inspiring consumer confidence with safer food which lasts longer.  

Food waste reduction allows the planet’s resources to nourish more people. To put things into perspective, if food waste were a country, it would be the 3^rd highest emitter of greenhouse gases (after the US and China). Consequently, reduction in food waste can also benefit the planet though greenhouse gas reduction.  

Half of consumer food waste could be prevented by extra shelf-life days ^3,4. If the food industry could transform all food loss and waste, there would be enough food to feed the number of undernourished people in the world today twice over. Not only can the industry preserve food and reduce waste, but they can better deliver food safety solutions. Thus, reducing product recalls, which impact both the industry and consumers annually.  

Where does food waste come from?

Globally, around 14% of food produced is lost between harvest and retail, while an estimated 17% of total food is wasted once produced. Some examples of food waste through the supply chain include: 

1. Post-harvest – In Europe, a meat plant using a hot water rinse for carcass decontamination must cut off the “cooked” parts of the meat. This may not even be measured and just considered as a cost of doing business. The value quantification of this loss could be used to justify the investment in a different post-harvest solution. This investment would have the potential to deliver overall cost and meat savings. 
2. Processing – Within bakeries dough can often stick to equipment. This results in a certain number of baked goods are rejected due to lack of uniformity/warping. Solutions such as enzymes can be used to improve uniformity and prevent dough stickiness, unlocking value through eliminating this source of waste. 
3. Retail distribution – Retailers can often have a large number of products being removed from shelves due to their “best before” dates. A model of a “best before but still good after” sections for markdowns is being championed by Too Good To Go in many regions today. Additionally, where a product line is creating a lot of retail waste, technologies that support shelf-life extension can reduce labour rotating shelves, deliveries and overall waste in the supply chain.  
4. Shipping – Inadequate packing, transport and shipping can lead to physical damage of product and food packaging, including bruising of fresh product, squashing of soft items such as bakery, bursting heat seals in meat packs and denting canned goods. Auditing and revaluating packaging, palletisation, loading and shipping methods can result in less physical damage and rejections at store level. 
5. Foodservice distribution – Back of house waste can occur when product packaging is opened and not fully used before it reaches its open shelf-life date. Simple changes in pack size or a different preservation method can give a longer open shelf life. There is also waste from products that have poor resilience to the supply chain and become “imperfect foods” back of house. For example, burger buns that get squashed/disintegrate through being stacked or don’t thaw well and stick to each other if frozen. Enzymes and hydrocolloids can maintain spring and freshness, while glazes can prevent visual cracking and general disintegration, maintaining consumer appeal.     
6. Consumer loss – The reasons for loss at a consumer level are twofold. Studies show that up to one half of consumer waste could be prevented by shelf-life extension⁴. Texture, taste and appeal can be the factors limiting shelf life, long before spoilage microbes take hold. Microbial shelf life extension can be achieved either through adding more days through preservation or through education on the suitability of a product for freezing, allowing more time for a product to be shopped and consumed. The second reason for food waste is consumer behaviour. This is where the industry can play a role in ensuring it takes a holistic approach to formulation, prioritizing consumer needs across health, taste, cost, convenience, portion size and other factors linked to product appeal and enjoyment to prevent a product being left on shelf, forgotten in the pantry or ending up in landfill. 

The financial benefit of reducing food waste 

With food and energy prices at an all time high, reducing costs through food waste mitigation can benefit all stakeholders within the food system. 

Reducing food waste can reduce costs in: 

• Production: Enzymes and processing aids can improve efficiencies and yields in large scale production of breads and baked goods, reducing food waste and costs. For example, proteases have a softening effect on dough and make kneading easier. These enzymes reduce mixing time, improve dough consistency and uniformity, regulate gluten strength in bread, control bread texture and improve flavour.  
• Supply chain: Extended shelf-life days allows extra time to pack, pick, transport, deliver and display products, therefore reducing the financial and environmental cost of waste. Supply chain resiliency through preservation directly reduces food loss early in the chain.  In emerging markets, 60% of food waste occurs early in the supply chain, before it reaches the retailer
• Retail: when a product stays fresher for longer on shelf in-store, consumers have more time to buy and use the food while it is still safe and appealing, meaning less waste in-store and at home. 
• Food service: secondary shelf-life keeping opened product fresher for longer can mean better efficiencies back-of-house, helping food service operatives manage stock levels and cut down on waste, particularly in bulk pack formats. Additionally, packaging that allows for easy resealing can play a part in maintaining freshness, especially with larger pack formats.
• Consumer: Concern about food safety from consumers creates waste.  By providing more shelf-life days, coupled with better sensory appeal, consumers can feel assured that their food is saft and delicious throughout the life. Meaning less food will be thrown out “just in case”.  
• Recalls: A huge cost to the industry, in both monetary and reputational terms, product recalls due to spoilage can be avoided or eliminated with the right approach to preservation. 

In essence, extra shelf-life days give people more time to use food and avoid it going to waste.  

Steps to consider when reducing food waste

Food waste is multifaceted, with numerous causes. Therefore, solutions to food waste should not be one dimensional but holistic. It should encapsulate various manageable factors across microbial, textural and taste. 

1. Food Safety: Ensure products are safe to consume with proven efficacy and research-backed solutions. 
2. Shelf-Life Extension: Utilise expertise and solutions to extend shelf life of perishable food items. 
3. Taste, Nutrition, Appeal: Elevate visual and sensory appeal of products to last across the entire shelf life.

Tools to estimate food waste impacts:  

Kerry’s Food Waste Estimator illustrates the relationship between shelf-life extension and food waste impact. The Food Waste Estimator is an online tool for both manufacturers and consumers, which quantifies the impacts of food waste and the associated cost and resource savings available with the reduction of food waste.  

The Food Waste Estimator can demonstrate how, for example, extending the shelf life of bread by just one day can unlock cost savings for the manufacturer, with positive knock-on to retailers and consumers. This example can translate to value across the industry in the form of: 

• Improved efficiencies: better use of bakery resources, people and time. 
• Reduced pressure on supply chain/number of deliveries to service retailers with opportunities to supply more locations. 
• Better brand reach and consumer perception, both in store (when comparing Use By dates) and at home (more time to eat fresh, tasty bread before it goes bad). 
• Increased retailer and consumer loyalty due to positive brand perception. 

• Reduced retail returns to manufacturer. 
• Reduced shelf rotations of expired stock before sale. 
• Reduced mark downs for short shelf-life loaves, increased retailer profitability. 
• And ultimately, less food to landfill, ensuring a more sustainable food system. 

Try Kerry’s Food Waste Estimator to see how much waste your home or business generates and the impact food waste reduction can have.