Danfoss? cutting-edge refrigeration technologies can support sustainable food storage in restaurants, hotels and supermarkets in the Middle East
As food wastage is one of the most concerning issues in the region and is increasing due to the surge in hotels, restaurants and cafeteria openings, Danfoss provides solutions to keep foods fresh, safe and high-quality in longer duration.
According to Danfoss, state-of-the-art technologies in refrigeration systems can achieve sustainable food storage. Therefore, restaurants, hotels and supermarkets need to invest in refrigerators that house compressors, variable frequency drives and eco-friendly refrigerants. This help to keep food fresh for a long period of time, thus contributing to reducing food wastage in large amounts.
Recently, Danfoss conducted a survey to assess sustainable food consumption by the residents in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, and how well they are complying with the governments? appeal to reduce food wastage. The company reveals that about 83 per cent of the respondents understand the impact of food wastage on the environment and 77 per cent actively take action to reduce their food wastage footprint.
Ziad Al Bawaliz, regional president for the Middle East, Africa and Turkey at Danfoss, said, ?The food consumption habits in the Middle East are some of the most concerning in the world and this has a significant impact on the global environment, whether it?s because of overflowing landfills or the emission of greenhouse gases as a result of the food waste.?
To address this, initiatives are being put in place to ensure this proposed reduction becomes a reality, especially during Ramadan. Saudi Arabia has launched a national programme to tackle the issue of food wastage and Dubai is planning to be the first city in the Middle East to achieve zero food wastage through the UAE Food Bank, a non-profit charitable organisation launched last year. Wasteless Egypt, a mobile phone application, encourages residents to donate leftover food and clothes to the less fortunate areas.
According to Danfoss, such initiatives have had a positive impact on residents with 79 per cent of survey respondents claiming they are especially more conscious of the food they waste during Ramadan because of the numerous food-saving activities taking place. About 68 per cent of respondents said that they often take home their leftovers when they eat at a restaurant and 83 per cent would, if given the opportunity, give their leftovers to the less fortunate.
?Sustainability and protection of the environment are part of our core values at Danfoss and through this survey, we wanted to spread awareness on the issue of food waste,? stated Al Bawaliz. ?These results are extremely positive, proving that the Middle East is finally starting to sit up and take notice of the damage being caused to the environment through their own actions is everything we could wish for.?
