Food Manufacturers Have To ‘Reduce Water Use’, Makes Recommendations Based On FSCI ‘Taste Of The Future’ Report

This is a guest submission by Linda Chapin.

According to a FSCI ‘Taste of the Future’ report, food manufacturers must begin to find innovative ways to reduce their water footprint and increase efficiency as well.

In explaining how this new approach by food manufacturers would not only resolve certain problems but also offer benefits, David Bentley, FSCI Chairman, said, “Food processors have to use water. But reducing portion sizes would lead not only to less water wastage, but help to combat obesity and require less packaging.”

As for the other method of conserving water, Former Canadian Prime Minister, Jean Chretien, expressed his concerns to a group of leaders in Oslo saying that the production of crops that require less water would be another way to avert ‘water scarcity’ which has become a growing reality in today’s world.

According to several reports, water scarcity will have a ‘devastating’ impact on the world as by 2025 the need for another 1000 cubic km of water would arise, thanks to an increase in the Earth’s population by another billion people.

In order to prepare for such a situation, an ambitious target of saving ‘20% of water saving by 2020’ has been set for food and drink manufacturers to achieve.

However, Bentley also suggested that this is not just the responsibility of food and drink manufacturers to conserve water but also that of the government that must do its part in raising awareness so as to educate children and the public to use water wisely too.

In order to combat food security issues, raising awareness of food safety, sustainability and provenance in the school curriculum is a recommendation made by the FSCI report as well.