Food Waste Facts: Trivia Quiz!

1. The wasted food in Europe could feed 200 million hungry people.

True

False

With over 7 billion people on this planet, 925 million are starving. We annually lose and waste 1,3 billion tons of food enough to feed 3 billion people.

Explanation

With over 7 billion people on this planet, 925 million are starving. We annually lose and waste 1,3 billion tons of food enough to feed 3 billion people.

2. The average European and North American wastes more than his or her body weight in food each year.

True

False

True the average person is throwing away 100kg of food per year.

Explanation

True the average person is throwing away 100kg of food per year.

3. What portion of all the food produced in the world is lost or wasted every year?

1/3

2/9

1/2

1/5

It is equivalent to approximately 1.3 billion tonnes of food that is lost or wasted annually. This has a cost of more than US$ 680 billion in industrialized countries and US$ 310 billion in developing countries.

Explanation

It is equivalent to approximately 1.3 billion tonnes of food that is lost or wasted annually. This has a cost of more than US$ 680 billion in industrialized countries and US$ 310 billion in developing countries.

4. The best before date on food packaging indicates the absolute last date a food item can be consumed.

True

False

*False: it just indicates the time at which the quality and freshness of a product is at its peak but not the safety level of consumption. This means you can even eat yogurts after their best before dates!

Only 37% of people know the difference between ‘use by’ and ‘best before’ dates. Foods with ‘use by’ dates are highly perishable and must be eaten before the date written. Foods with ‘best before’ dates can be eaten after the date on the packaging, although it won’t be at its best quality.

Explanation

*False: it just indicates the time at which the quality and freshness of a product is at its peak but not the safety level of consumption. This means you can even eat yogurts after their best before dates!

Only 37% of people know the difference between ‘use by’ and ‘best before’ dates. Foods with ‘use by’ dates are highly perishable and must be eaten before the date written. Foods with ‘best before’ dates can be eaten after the date on the packaging, although it won’t be at its best quality.

5. What is the most wasted food item in the world?

Rice

Eggs

Bread

Yogurt

Over 240 million slices of bread are chucked away every year. Bread freezes really well, particularly for toast, so make sure you pop in the freezer if you're not going to use it. Stale bread can be turned into croutons, breadcrumbs, eggy bread, or even bread & butter pudding.

Explanation

Over 240 million slices of bread are chucked away every year. Bread freezes really well, particularly for toast, so make sure you pop in the freezer if you're not going to use it. Stale bread can be turned into croutons, breadcrumbs, eggy bread, or even bread & butter pudding.

6. What percentage of the world's freshwater supply is used to grow food that is never eaten?

25%

35%

12%

4%

Food waste has a lot of bi-effects and there are a lot of resources that are collateral of food waste such as land, water, labour, energy, manufacturing, packaging, etc. The impact doesn't stop there either, when food waste goes to landfill, it creates methane, which is 23x more deadly than carbon dioxide as a result of decomposing without access to oxygen.

Explanation

Food waste has a lot of bi-effects and there are a lot of resources that are collateral of food waste such as land, water, labour, energy, manufacturing, packaging, etc. The impact doesn't stop there either, when food waste goes to landfill, it creates methane, which is 23x more deadly than carbon dioxide as a result of decomposing without access to oxygen.

7. What is the ideal temperature to keep your fridge to minimize food waste?

-1.4° C - 0.1° C

0.2° C - 0.8° C

7.2° C - 10° C

1.8° C - 3.3° C

It should be kept between 35 and 38 degrees F (1.7 to 3.3 degrees C). Anything higher and foods will spoil too quickly. Anything lower and freezing starts to be a problem.

Explanation

It should be kept between 35 and 38 degrees F (1.7 to 3.3 degrees C). Anything higher and foods will spoil too quickly. Anything lower and freezing starts to be a problem.

8. An area larger than which country is used to grow food that is never eaten?

Florida

Switzerland

Mexico

China

Major contributors to land occupation of food wastage are meat and milk, with 78 percent of the total surface, whereas their contribution to total food wastage is 11 percent.

Explanation

Major contributors to land occupation of food wastage are meat and milk, with 78 percent of the total surface, whereas their contribution to total food wastage is 11 percent.

9. Which country was the first to ban food waste in stores?

Denmark

France

Taiwan

Australia

Switzerland

Since January 13th 2016 French supermarkets must donate unsold food to charity. Just a 15% increase in donated food will mean 10 million more meals per year. Since it came into force, the law has increased donations to food aid associations by 22%.

Supermarkets caught breaking these rules can be fined up to 75,000 euros or two years in prison. (https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2017/03/24/France-s-food-waste-ban-One-year-on)

Explanation

Since January 13th 2016 French supermarkets must donate unsold food to charity. Just a 15% increase in donated food will mean 10 million more meals per year. Since it came into force, the law has increased donations to food aid associations by 22%.

Supermarkets caught breaking these rules can be fined up to 75,000 euros or two years in prison. (https://www.foodnavigator.com/Article/2017/03/24/France-s-food-waste-ban-One-year-on)

10. Throwing away one burger wastes the same amount of water as a _____ shower.

90 minute

5 minute

15 minute

30 minute

Producing 150gr of burger requires almost 2'500lt of water. The majority of this goes to the beef as it requires irrigation of the feed and hydration of the cow.

Explanation

Producing 150gr of burger requires almost 2'500lt of water. The majority of this goes to the beef as it requires irrigation of the feed and hydration of the cow.