Food in the produce aisle.

Food Loss and Waste Collaborative

Reducing food loss and waste through research and innovation

The Challenge

Food production is one of the most important industries in our world. Every human on the planet depends upon it, yet a third of what we produce never reaches the table. This works out to roughly 1.3 billion tons of food loss annually, worth nearly $1 trillion at retail prices. Worldwide food demand is expected to increase 60 percent by 2050 to feed an estimated 9.1 billion people. These combined pressures make it imperative to increase the efficiency of the supply chains for our growing local, regional and global populations.

The Solution

We are poised to make a big difference at UC Davis with the first of its kind, university-based research program focused on developing solutions to reduce loss throughout the entire food life cycle. The Food Loss and Waste Collaborative is leveraging the uniquely interdisciplinary landscape at UC Davis to better understand why and where food is wasted, reduce waste across the global supply chain, help consumers reduce waste in their home and to develop useful products from food that cannot be consumed.

An early example of this work was the End of Waste Project where students from food science, engineering and business tackled an industry challenge and developed three new food products from fruit and vegetable pulp left after juice production.

The Philanthropic Opportunity 

We are seeking philanthropic partners who share our vision to develop innovative solutions that address the complex challenges of food loss and waste. Private funding is needed from individuals and businesses to support faculty and student innovators.

Here are two ways your gift can make a difference:

  • Support for our students–undergraduate or graduate–who are researching and innovating new solutions to food waste, including the End of Waste Project
  • Support for the interdisciplinary research and outreach programs of the Food Loss and Waste Collaborative

UC Davis is committed to developing solutions to meet future needs and reduce environmental impact.

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Looking for more information?

Please contact Melissa Haworth at (530) 979-1440 or mdhaworth@ucdavis.edu to learn more about this college priority.