Challenges and Opportunities

The main focus of this workshop is the valorisation of what is presently defined by FAO (2013) as food wastages. Minimising food wastages may be handled by two main routes: - reduction of avoidable losses across the supply chain and - valorisation of unavoidable losses. In this COST strategic workshop, leading representatives of science and the rapidly evolving “green” industry will together, with stakeholders of the present “Food Industry” and authorities, explore the possibilities of “secondary harvest” and “recycling” of food wastages. i.e. knowledge-driven valorisation and “Green” growth based on organic side flows of the present food system. This will be achieved by: - Discussion and knowledge-exchange of ideas and current activities via plenary lectures and presentations of success cases as well as SME/industry/science broker meetings. The plenary lectures and a conclusion will be published in the scientific journal “Food Security”. - Formulation of a roadmap and policy brief for the Commission leading towards a food wastages bio-based economy stemming from a high-level “Round Table” This workshop is a major attempt at pan-European level to expand the issue of the three “Rs” (reduce, reuse and recycle) to the area of recycle and co-utilisation of food wastages. For example, one could see such approach as combining a primary and secondary harvest, in cases where the food and non-food compartment of the same production is utilized, while recycle may be the case where the waste becomes a source in food production again. The intent of the workshop is to explore these routes of food wastages from an EU and business opportunity aspect. 12-130514, Athens/Greece Information: http://www.cost.eu/events/foodwaste Anmeldung: chris.irons(at)cost.eu


25.03.2014