Future of Sustainable Food (1)

Circular Food systems

Our current, actual and widespread linear food model of ‘using, abusing and disposing’ is a very inefficient, wasteful and unsustainable system. This linear system combined with the impact of "global warming", "air pollution" and many other negative global influences, puts our global resources increasingly under thread. At the moment over 30% of the produced food, globally is wasted, and with that, also 30% of our resources to produce this food are wasted, although we still have many people all around the world that don't have access to a daily meal.

We need to take action now, and one very impactful change will need to be, to move from the linear food system to a more circular food system. With a circular food system we can use our resources more efficiently and re-use many side and waste streams for new food production systems. To create this necessary awareness and user education for this switch, we need to work very closely together with entrepreneurs, food system stakeholders, the food and agricultural Industry, politicians, scientists and everybody who wants to be involved, only so we can drive innovation forward and scale up sustainable, circular food solutions.

Sustainable and circular food systems need to be approached to both food production and food consumption, aiming to reduce environmental impact, minimise food waste, reduce the abuse of resources and promote long-term ecological and agricultural balance.

The concept involves optimising the use of resources and creating closed-loop systems where waste from one part of the system becomes a valuable input for another part of the system. This although is a huge global challenge in itself, because many people, economical existences and subsistences are depending on the linear food system. Today i want to start sharing, key components and strategies of sustainable and circular food systems that each and everyone of us can do to make the first step and start, and the more people supporting this, the easier and quicker we can start having an impact.

In this blog, and more to follow I want to bring ideas and suggestions closer, in an easy to understand way, to a bigger audience, without using to many complex or scientific explanations, but with easy to follow suggestions for each individual who wants to support to make our planet better for ourselves and for our offsprings, and for the many people that don't have the opportunity to act.

Todays focus will be on Proteins.

1. Change your proteins:

The plant-based food trend has been increasing for quite some time already in Europe and around the globe, with meat alternatives continuing to inundate markets.

Replacing all meats, by going vegetarian and or vegan, can support the approach towards a protein change in a the fastest possible way, but is also very unlikely to please everybody on our planet. Its the combination of "using" instead of "abusing" our global resources as mindful and local as possible, and in a circular way to increase our change to more plant based proteins.

• Animal Proteins: Animal proteins are complete proteins, this means they contain all the essential amino acids that human beings need in their diets. Our human body needs these complete proteins, and we cannot produce them ourselves so animal proteins are the sources to obtain these complete proteins and essential amino acids through our daily food diets. On top of that, low-fat animal proteins also reduce the risk of diabetes, heart diseases, cancers, obesity and adiposity. Animal proteins therefore are an important part of our diet, but needs to be consciously consumed Red meat and processed meat

• Plant Proteins: Plant proteins are incomplete proteins, this means they don't contain all the essential amino acids in one single product, but they provide plenty of nutrients, fiber, and antioxidants that can improve your overall diet and health. In the right combinations and especially focussing on the right variety, with enough intake of zinc, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, calcium and protein, plant proteins provide your body with all the necessary nutrients and reduces the risk of modern-day health threads

In other words, only eating just one of both proteins is not the ideal diet, but by decreasing our animal protein take-in and by increasing our plant protein take-in we can positively impact our environment, our resources, our planet, and our own personal health at the same time

Therefore the global focus on plant forward diets is the most right-minded way forward.

New protein options are overrunning and diversifying our global western markets, and the increasing demand for products that can truly replicate meat - from texture and appearance to taste and smell - as plant-based protein become more attractive to everyone, and less for solely the vegetarian and vegan markets. This pattern is likely to increase further in 2024, with more than 60% of consumers in many European countries expressing the urgent need to find alternatives to conventional animal agriculture.

Many international and global institutions and government bodies have already recognised the role of a more plant-based diet, consisting of less red and processed meat and including more fruits, nuts legumes and vegetables to reduce the environmental impact of the food system

Global (still) ongoing inflation, caused by the energy crisis and the war in Ukraine, have already shown a dietary shift due to affordability and availability, with the majority of European consumers saying these crisis's have impacted the prices of food noticeably, with the most severe changes seen in animal products. Approximately 55% of consumers stated they have noticed significant price increases in red meat, in fish, and in dairy products.

These price increases can therefore be an important support for our switch to more plant based sustainable proteins. For more ideas round plant forward and affordable proteins, with a low environmental impact, read through the internet and just look for the word "Beans"

There are very many global initiatives ongoing around the positive impact of beans in our daily diets, and i can only +1 this.

With this blog I want to create additional, increasing consumer education and awareness thriving for positive, resilient impactful changes to a more plant forward, environmental friendly and social equitable circular food systems that meets our present and future generation

PFJ; 01.09.2024

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