The display on food product influencing the reduction of the amount of food waste

Abstract

  Date displays on food products, from the progress in processing techniques and international standards, have together caused a change in the “production data” to time limit indicators such as “use-by date” or “best-before date”. This paper focuses on the number of food poisoning outbreaks and food imports, particularly the import of milk and other dairy products, and analyzed the change in food waste after changes in the display on food products. Consumers were given questionnaires about the effects on them of the “use-by date” or “best before date” especially effecting the on decreasing food waste by the consumers. The main points of the study are as follows:
  (1) The number of food poisoning outbreaks increased after the change in the display on the food products. Moreover, the total amount of food waste from consumers calculated as waste energy increased after the change in the display on the food products.
  (2) A number of consumers prefer food products with “production data”.
  (3) A number of consumers want to calculate the eatable period of food products. If information, which enables consumers to calculate the eatable periods is provided, it may reduce the amount of food waste.
  (4) Information such as the inspection contents, safety factors, a one-third rule in addition to the “production date” helps consumers reduce food waste. If such information is provided, we estimated that the amount of food waste will decrease by about 1-2.72million tons.