Expertise & research centre in Sustainable Production

Food waste

Companies are looking for further ways to optimise processes (reducing the use of inputs, energy and water), improving quality (extending shelf life), combatting food waste and reducing costs. Due to globalisation, it is also essential for companies in the agrifood sector to work together in the supply chain and to create closed loops, both at company level and within the chains, thus securing continuing production for the future. The ERC wants to make an active contribution to this, taking into account global trends such as the biobased and circular economy, the emergence of new raw materials for the agrifood sector and healthy food.

Themes

The new ERC focuses on 3 specific themes:

• Combatting food waste
  The ERC focuses on short food chains for vegetables, fruit, meat and dairy.
• Making food processes more sustainable
  Reducing the pressure of existing food production processes on the environment by integral process improvements and optimisation with a focus on product quality, sustainability and reducing the use of water, energy and other inputs.
• Creating closed loops
  By reducing the use of inputs in the agrifood sector as well as implementing efficiency improvements with the goal of secure global food provision in the long-term.

The core of the ERC is formed by lecturers and teaching researchers from the study programmes Environmental Studies, Food Technology and International Food & Agribusiness.

From left to right: Dominique Aarts, Rob Bakker, Rémon Saaltink, Rob van Diepenbeek, Marc Zitzen, Elies Lemkes-Straver