USDA will hold its first-ever “Food Loss and Waste” webinar last this month.
The department will show off some of the cutting-edge technologies in fighting food waste. One item they will showcase is “functional ice,” which melts at a much slower pace but also has preserving qualities.
USDA funded the project which was done at Auburn University.
Food loss and waste liaison Jean Buzby explains how it can be used.
According to Buzby, “Functional ice shows great promise for use in developing countries where ice is the primary way to keep fresh produce and fish chilled and safe for transport to market.”
Another item is the ozone nano-bubble. It can help farmers grow more crops with less water by using bubbles to get more oxygen to the roots. It is especially useful for farming in drought, but USDA says that it can also be used to wash harvested produce.
The virtual fair is on May 26th.