PHENIX Rising: A Solution to Redress a Global Challenge?

Food systems, food loss and waste (FLW), a widespread concern, continue to pose challenges across food security, food safety, economy, and environmental sustainability (Kaza, Yao, Bhada-Tata, & Van Woerden, 2018). It is estimated that 1.3 billion tons, one-third of the world's food, is wasted each year (The World Counts, 2021). In the United States alone, over 40 million tons end up in landfills, worth more than US$161 billion (IFCO Systems, 2020). The food waste from the European Union amounts to 47 million tons at 98₠ billion each year (IFCO Systems, 2000). The food wastage in China could feed 30–50 million people in the country for a year (ibid). Fruits and vegetables lead the world's food waste at 45%, followed by fish and seafood at 35%, and cereals, came a close third, at 30% (ibid). In the retail sector, large quantities of food waste are due to strict cosmetic (the appearance of fruits and vegetables) quality standards (UNEP, 2021). It is estimated that FLW costs are US$1 trillion (ibid). Findings suggest that if one-fourth of the food lost or wasted can be saved, it would be enough to feed 870 million hungry people in the world (UNEP, 2021).