ZeroW
Systemic Innovations Towards a
Zero Food Waste Supply Chain
Addressing the challenge of food loss and waste through a synergetic mix of innovations
in real life conditions.
Vision.
To provide credible solutions for significantly reducing FLW, while collaborating with all food system actors, to accelerate the equitable transition to a social, economic and environmentally sustainable food system for all.
The role of food systems in delivering safe, nutritious and affordable food to all citizens, including vulnerable groups, is embedded and considered along ZeroW demonstrative innovative solutions.
The challenge.
The global food system contributes significantly to climate change, accounting for more than 30% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. One-third of all food produced is never consumed and is either lost or wasted somewhere along the value chain.
Food Loss & Waste (FLW) reduction is essential for the transition to sustainable food systems through the substantial reduction of resource use and GHG emissions.
Food Waste
Climate Change
Increased Resource Use
Approach & solutions.
To address this challenge, ZeroW is driving innovations for zero food loss & waste (FLW) by leveraging data spaces and developing data-driven applications throughout the supply chain from pre-harvest, production, processing, wholesale & retail to consumption.
To get a clear view of the amounts of waste along the food chain, ZeroW will :
- Outline a conceptual framework for measuring FLW and determining the economic effects.
- Create semantic interoperability, i.e. the ability of computer systems to exchange data with unambiguous, shared meaning.
- Use a managed European 0FLW Data Space for the digital support needed for reducing FLW
The project is focused on a systemic co-creation methodology that involves the full scope of food chain actors and beyond:
introducing social and governance dimensions to industrial partners in a real-life setting.
Living Labs
Focused on a systemic
co-creation methodology that involves the full scope of food chain actors and beyond.
ZeroW has established 9 real-life Living Labs which incorporate systemic innovations that possess the potential to result in fundamental changes in both social dimensions (values, regulations, attitudes) and technical dimensions (infrastructure, technology, tools, processes), in addition to the connections between them.
FLW monitoring & assessment
Open, data-driven platform for capturing and assessing FLW data throughout the supply chain.
Sustainable & Smart Packaging
Smart Packaging solution to extend the shelf-life of packaged products and facilitate stock management.
Wasteless GH Solutions
Computer-vision based systems to monitor growing vegetables.
Mobile Food Valorization As a Service
Innovative processing solutions which can be marketed as a service for optimizing the processing of surplus fruits and vegetables which would otherwise go to waste.
Ugly Food Identification
Smart Identification of ‘ugly food’ or
non-compliance to retail requirements.
Data-Driven Production Process Control
Processes in the poultry industry can be optimized to minimize food loss.
Efficient Food Bank Networks
Energy demand response
in e-bikes & infrastructure
planning.
FLW Valorization through Algae Production
Implementing a pre-treatment process, in-store, for the retail food waste in order to transform it into a dehydrated “powder” that can be used for microalgae feed
Informing & Nudging Consumers
Support the efficient matching of supply and demand, with the goal to improve food waste reduction strategies.
Our role.
Besides being part of the Project Coordination team, Inlecom Innovation contributes to the design and development of the Data Space and to the Living Lab applications .
This project has received funding from the Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under GA 101036388. Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
