MIT Solve

Solution Overview

Solution Name:

Second life to food

One-line solution summary:

Biotechnological approaches to the processing of expired food that remain on the grocery store shelves

Pitch your solution.

Annually 30% of global food production is wasted by super markets, households or food courts. The cost of such lost hits 750 trillion dollars per year, at retail prices these products will already cost a trillion of dollars – twice as much as Norway’s GNP. The thrown food emits greenhouse gases that damage nature, causing climate changes.

In connection with the glut of food in the market, including expired products, we suggest our biotechnological solutions to the problem of expired food processing, including recycling packaging of these products.

What we suggest is to use biotechnological, microbiological and membrane methods for taking essential components from expired food products for further use in food and technical purposes. The project will help solve the problem of recycling food products as well as their packaging in trade networks. Additionally, this solution will be useful for reduction of a colossal anthropogenic burden on the biosphere.

Film your elevator pitch.

What specific problem are you solving?

According to Food and Agriculture Organization, a third of the food system’s environmental impact happens without feeding anyone. UN report on food use claims that about 40% of food produced in the USA gets straight to landfills, whereas there is about 100 million tons of food that gets waisted each year.

The cost of food thrown away in Russia is estimated at more than 1.6 trillion rubles. The thrown away products would be enough to feed 30 million people during the year.profits in forms of food for animals or products of technical appointment.

The area of lands under the food waste is equal to the territory of Mexico.
Yet no optimal methods of recycling is found, but we suggest brand new biotechnological approaches to solve this challenge.
This way, a number of problems will be immediately solved:
a) The problem of trade networks, which must utilize expired food themselves.
b) The problem of anthropogenic burden on the biosphere of the planet.
c) The problem of money loss will be solved by obtaining profits in forms of food for animals.

What is your solution?

All the food contains proteins, fats and carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, micro and macro elements. One of the probable solutions may be to extract the most valuable components with biotechnological or microbiological solutions, membrane methods, etc. Later these components may well be used as high-value raw materials for food for animals.

By using high-tech membrane technology methods combined with biotechnological techniques to obtain nutrients secrete proteins, fats, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, enzymes and other derivatives from food products.
For example, it is possible to grind stale bread and baked goods into small crumbs, which are then neutralized, subjected to further enrichment (that enhances the biological value of the final product). After all, once wasted food becomes highly nutritious feed additive not only for domestic and farm animals, but also for animals in nature reserves, zoos and animal shelters, for which the lack of food is a stiff problem.
Milk proteins taken from expired products are important for use as a water-resistant substance. The substance provides adhesive adhesion on surfaces, and through proper processing with formaldehyde, plastic is obtained. From this plastic brushes and buttons are made.
Organic acids and their derivatives can be obtained from food high in carbohydrates.

Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?

Nowadays pollution of the environment is a problem of international dimensions, the seriousness of which can’t be overestimated, given that the wellbeing of each and every one of us totally depends on the environmental condition. Given that population growth is inevitable while we are getting shorter and shorter in resources, we must not let them beсome garbage.

First of all, our project will be of great use to owners of trade networks that have problems with disposing expired products. Secondly, it will result in reduction of a colossal anthropogenic burden on the biosphere. The last but not the least, the ability to obtain raw materials and semi-finished products for highly nutritious feed additives – a very important aspect for zoos, nature reserves and animal shelters
Our project is a step to the more ecological future.

Which dimension of the Challenge does your solution most closely address?

Improve supply chain practices to reduce food loss, scale new business models for producer-market connections, and create low-carbon cold chains

Explain how the problem, your solution, and your solution’s target population relate to the Challenge and your selected dimension.

The project will help to solve the problem of recycling food products as well as their packaging in trade networks. In addition, this solution will be of great use in terms of the reduction of a colossal anthropogenic burden on the biosphere.

In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?

Kemerovo, Россия

What is your solution’s stage of development?

Prototype: A venture or organization building and testing its product, service, or business model

Who is the primary delegate for your solution?

Kemerovo State University