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Have you ever wondered what happens to the perfectly edible food that doesn't meet the aesthetic standards of consumers? In one of the largest wholesale food markets in the world, the answer to this question is both inspiring and revolutionary.
Imagine tens of thousands of stock holders at the market, each with a surplus of fresh produce like spinach, beets, and onions. Until recently, this surplus would meet an inglorious end in the trash bin, simply because clients were not willing to purchase it. Christian, a fruit seller, points out that most of the papaya is still perfectly fit for consumption, yet it would have been discarded.
Enter Itaka, a government-run program that has redefined the fate of this surplus food. Instead of letting it rot, Christian donates all his unsold fruit to Itaka, which then distributes it to soup kitchens and shelters across the city. Over the last four years, this program has provided close to 900 tons of food to some of the city's neediest residents.
The benefits of this program extend beyond feeding the hungry. The markets director explains that it's also changing the mentality around food reuse and disposal. The goal is ambitious: to achieve zero waste. This includes encouraging restaurants, food stores, and public markets to develop circular economy projects that utilize products that would otherwise be wasted.
Despite its success, the program faces limitations. Timing, logistics, and a lack of information still result in tons of food being lost every day. However, for those who rely on it, the support is invaluable. Denoda, a 40-year-old housewife, visits a soup kitchen daily, purchasing food from the market's donations for the equivalent of roughly $12 US. This allows her family of six to enjoy three healthy meals a day. Without this program, she would have to cut most proteins from their diet, leading to malnutrition.
The program's success lies in its simplicity. By addressing both food insecurity and unnecessary waste, it feeds thousands of people daily while providing a lifeline to entire families. Julia Gallano from Al Jazeera Mexico City encourages viewers to subscribe to their channel to get the latest news, emphasizing the importance of such initiatives.
In a world where food waste is a significant issue, this program offers a beacon of hope, proving that with a little creativity and determination, we can turn surplus into sustenance.
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