United Arab Emirates

What does food preservation mean to you?

Consumers are becoming more and more conscious about the food they consume, both from a nutritional and sustainability perspective. Is the food I am buying safe? How long can I keep it and how should I store it? How can I reduce my food waste? Are the ingredients safe and sustainably sourced?
Influencing many of these answers are food preservation solutions and techniques. Initially based on empirical methods and now backed up by strong science, they enable food producers to make safe products that taste and look good. Increasing shelf-life provides convenience to consumers and reduces waste.
Woman at grocery store reading food labels while holding her shopping basket.

Since time began

The concept and challenge of preserving food has been an important part of human existence for thousands of years.
“The possibility of starvation has always been a reliable companion of human existence,” says Dina Kulke, Regulatory Affairs Manager, Brenntag Nutrition EMEA. “All measures for the treatment of food from plant and animal production always had to ensure that the food was durable enough to get over bad times, and be transportable over long distances. Humans were and still are mobile creatures.”
Such measures, Dina notes, have developed over the course of millennia and include the likes of salting, sugaring, acidifying, drying, heating, cooling, freezing, smoking, fermenting, refining and filtering.

Safeguarding human health

One of the most important aims of food preservation is to increase the ability to supply the entire global population safely with food that maintains its microbiological safety, taste, structure, and nutritional value.
There is still some way to go. According to the United Nations, it is estimated that between 720 and 811 million people around the world faced hunger in 2020.
Being able to better preserve (and thus transport) the food the world produces is going to be paramount to tackling issues of food poverty. And for those that are fortunate enough to access the food they need, preservation plays a key role in ensuring a healthy diet can be maintained.
“Food preservation is a focal point in every individual's daily life,” says Alessia Carraro, Bakery Technologist, Brenntag Food & Nutrition. “A well-preserved food is a food that keeps its characteristics intact and therefore improves the quality of the lunch or dinner eaten. A well-preserved food also improves the supply of nutrients and brings a benefit to the individual.”
Rear view of lovely little Asian girl walking through corn field. She is experiencing agriculture in an organic farm and learning to respect the Mother Nature

A sustainable imperative

Preventing spoilage is another key benefit derived from advanced, modern food preservation methods. This helps to tackle the enormous problem of food waste – shockingly, according to the United Nations, an estimated 17% of total global food production is wasted. Some estimates, meanwhile, have that figure as high as 40%. In Europe, meanwhile, a report by the Swedish Environmental Research Institute states that around 20% of food production is wasted every year.
“There are several reasons for this, including low shelf life,” says Dr. Andreas Kicherer, Sustainability Vice President, Sustainability Brenntag Group. “Food preservation can make a decisive contribution to reducing food losses along the entire value chain. This not only generates less waste, but also reduces the CO2 emissions generated by food production. Food-specific and locally adapted preservation therefore represents an important contribution to sustainable development.”
Wasting less will also help to tackle the challenge of food insecurity. “Before producing more we need to reduce the level of waste, and increasing the shelf life of products is having a direct and powerful impact,” adds Quentin Brouet, Regional Business Director, Brenntag Food & Nutrition.

Different regions, different requirements

As Dr. Kicherer points out, there is no one size fits all to food preservation strategies and approaches.
What works in one part of the world, or even within a region of a country, may not be applicable or appropriate on a broad basis, with factors such as climate, dietary customs, native production trends and shopping habits all playing into the unique picture of a particular area.
Leanne Rossouw, Business Manager for Brenntag in South Africa, explains: “There is a case for understanding the requirements and the regional and local habits of consumers in our relevant markets for the best, most affordable and sustainable solution. In the African environment, for example, power generation and availability emphasise the need for sustainable solutions in our region.”
South Africa is an interesting case in point. Subject to high profile electricity blackouts in recent years, especially since 2022, the country must factor this intermittency into food preservation activities.

A means to tackle food inflation?

Another critical theme in many parts of the world through 2022 and 2023 has been spiralling costs of living. We are currently experiencing a highly inflationary economic environment, and this is no more evident than in the trends we have seen in relation to food prices.
In the UK, for example, food inflation reached almost 20% in the year to April 2023. This is the highest it has been since 1977, and cause for major concern among consumers who are spending greater proportions of their incomes on feeding themselves and their families.
So, can food preservation help? When asked about the impact of food preservation on affordability, David Kruger, Head of Business Development & Application, Brenntag Food & Nutrition, responded positively.
“Further efforts in ensuring treatment of food raw materials, the handling of food stuffs and the maintenance of the correct supply chain parameters can assist further,” he says. “The further development and rollout of newer preservation methods such as pulse technology and ozone treatment of foodstuffs could be of greater benefit, especially once better understood by consumers.”

Contact our Food & Nutrition experts

Brenntag Food & Nutrition combines its deep understanding of food formulation and processes with the broadest portfolio of food preservation solutions. We are working with the best-in class ingredient manufacturers and give you unlimited access to our 12 Food Innovation & Application centres across EMEA. Bring us you preservation challenges and let’s co-create the solution that fits your needs and the needs of your consumers.