Consumers are more aware and demanding than ever when it comes to food choices and the environment, from ingredients to packaging.

Recent research points to four key areas where we can improve upon product dynamics to better resonate with shoppers moving forward.

There are concerns that open-date coding of foods has increased food waste. The food industry and consumers use the dates printed on food packages to manage stock rotation from food manufacturing plants to the consumer’s kitchen. Variation in terminology associated with open dates on consumer packages can result in the disposal of good food.

Held June 21-24 in New Orleans at the New Orleans Morial Convention Center, the Institute of Food Technologists’ (IFT) annual meeting and food expo featured more than 900 exhibitors showcasing food ingredients, packaging and technology.

Together with more than 150 participants from all over the world, the SAVE FOOD Initiative (www.save-food.org) discussed past and future cooperation at its first Partnership Event in Rome in December. Stakeholders from industry and agriculture, associations, initiatives and the public sector have thus taken another step in their joint effort against global food losses and waste.