The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency developed a Food Recovery Hierarchy pictured above that includes practical steps (from most preferred to least preferred) restaurants can take to help reduce food waste. By putting some of these tips into action, restaurants can save money, reduce the impact of food waste on the environment, help feed the hungry and tell your customers about your environmentally responsible accomplishments.

Source Reduction helps avoid the initial creation of food waste. This step can be carried out by first putting a food purchasing policy in place for your restaurant. It can include practices like identifying frequently over-purchased food items, purchasing pre-cut food to reduce prep waste and using a purchasing system that only orders the types of food that are needed, when they are needed. Restaurants can also review their storage practices to ensure that food is being stored properly to reduce premature spoilage and that older products are being used first. 

It’s also helpful to re-purpose food, like using vegetable trimmings to make stock, leftover fruit to make smoothies and day-old bread to make croutons or bread crumbs. Although restaurant managers have to lead the food waste reduction initiative, the restaurant staff has to be well-informed and enthusiastic to make the goals a reality. Training new and existing staff on food waste reduction practices, posting signs in the kitchen and creating incentives to encourage participation are all effective ways to help employees cut back on waste.

Feed Hungry People excess food that’s still safe to eat. There are many food banks and food recovery groups that will gladly accept non-perishable and unspoiled perishable food from your restaurant. Many establishments have legal concerns about food donations but there’s no real reason to worry. If food donations are made in good faith and without gross negligence, a U.S. good Samaritan law shields donors from liability if any of the donated products unintentionally cause harm to a person who receives them. Donating your restaurant’s unused food will also generate tax deductions for your business and help reduce your waste disposal costs.

With the EPA’s third food recovery step, you can help Feed Animals by sending selected fruit, vegetable and grain wastes to local farms. In addition to a web search for nearby animal farmers, your county or state agricultural departments or departments of health should be able to give you some contact information.

Some other ways that restaurants can reduce food waste are arranging for an industrial biodiesel manufacturer to collect the fats and oils that are left over after food preparation, and composting food scraps to create nutrient-rich plant fertilizer. Your restaurant can share all the feel-good benefits of reducing food waste with your customers and accountant by not allowing your scraps and leftovers to end up in a landfill.

References

Conrad Z, Niles MT, Neher DA, Roy ED, Tichenor NE, Jahns L (2018) Relationship between food waste, diet quality, and environmental sustainability. PLoS ONE 13(4): e0195405. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0195405

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2018/04/18/americans-waste-about-a-quarter-of-the-food-they-buy-and-the-environmental-consequences-are-staggering/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.c8a1da3aebbe

Let’s start with a bit of math. The 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans provide estimated calorie needs per day, based on age, sex and physical activity level. A good, average number to work with is that a woman should eat about 2,000 calories each day. So, in the 9 days it would supposedly take to lose 21lbs, a woman should consume about 18,000 calories.

On the other side of the weight loss equation, the common rule is that losing one pound requires a 3,500-calorie deficit between calories burned and calories consumed. Using this logic, a woman would have to burn 73,500 calories in total to loss 21lbs, and to achieve that in 9 days would require an 8,167-calorie deficit each day!  To lose 21 pounds in 9 days, a woman would not only have to stop eating, but would also have to find some way to burn off 8,167 calories on each of those 9 days. To put that number in perspective, walking at a brisk pace for one hour burns about 240 calories.

Even if you could walk 24 hours a day for 9 days, and didn’t consume any calories, it would be impossible, and severely damaging to your health and vitality, to burn enough calories to lose 21lbs so quickly. And this doesn't even consider other factors that can make it hard to lose weight even in a calorie deficit.

So how can the publication get away with such an exaggerated headline?  You may have dieted before and lost more weight than you thought was possible in the first week or two of the diet. When you begin almost any eating plan that can result in weight loss, especially a plan that restricts carbohydrates, your body will soon begin to burn its glycogen (stored carbohydrates), which holds a lot of water within it. This can result in an initial drop in weight that comes from a loss of body fluid. So while you may initially lose more when starting a diet, a more steady rate of losing 1 to 2 pounds a week is a healthier, more sustainable approach than plans that promise more rapid weight loss. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics reminds us that, “If a diet or product sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” Try to remember that the next time a headline about weight loss catches your eye.

Waldorf Salad with Greek Yogurt Dressing
Makes 2 servings

¼ cup 2% Greek yogurt
2 tsp honey
1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
¼ tsp salt
1 large apple, cored and diced into small cubes
½ cup red grapes, sliced in half lengthwise
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced crosswise
½ head radicchio, cored and thinly sliced
¼ cup walnut pieces

In a small bowl combine the yogurt, honey and lemon juice. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl. Add the yogurt dressing and toss. Serve immediately or refrigerate for a few hours before serving.

Nutrition Information per Serving:
Calories: 140kcal
Fat: 7g
Saturated fat: 1g
Sodium: 310mg
Carbs: 17g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 3g

Unfortunately, a closer look at the study publication shows that this health claim isn’t actually true. The Neurology study followed 960 people who were an average age of 81, for an average of 4.7 years. During each year of the study, each of the participants completed a questionnaire about the foods they ate and took a test of their thinking and memory skills. After the study had ended, the scientists who conducted the study continued to monitor the study participants for 10 more years. 

The scientists observed that the participants’ scores on the thinking and memory tests all declined over time, but that the participants who ate the highest amounts of leafy greens, specifically spinach, kale/collards/greens and lettuce, had a significantly slower rate of thinking and memory decline than those who ate the lowest amounts of leafy greens. The study concluded that, “This difference was equivalent to being 11 years younger in age.” 

That’s not at all the same as the Women’s World contention that a vegetable can reverse the functional age of your brain by 11 years! One of the study scientists even noted that, “the study does not prove that eating green, leafy vegetables slows brain aging, it only shows an association.” While explosive headlines attract readers, Women’s World owes their readers accurate characterizations of scientific research to set realistic expectations about the connections between food and brain health.  And as consumers, we need to read beyond headlines and check the sources when we can, to make sure we know what's true and what's exaggerated.

Forbidden Rice Noodles with Scallions and Shiitakes

makes about 4 servings

8 oz package of Forbidden Rice Pad Thai Noodles
5 oz package sliced shiitake mushrooms (about 2 cups raw)
¾ cup sliced scallions
½ cup dressing (see full recipe from below)
1 tbsp white sesame seeds
2 tsp sliced fresno chili pepper

Dressing:
3 tbsp Coconut Aminos
2 tbsp unseasoned brown rice vinegar
1.5 tbsp sesame oil
0.75 tsp ground ginger
1.5 tbsp fresh lime juice (1 lime)

Nutrition Information per Serving:
Calories: 300kcal
Fat: 8g
Saturated fat: 1g
Sodium: 260mg
Carbs: 53g
Fiber: 5g
Protein: 5g

Each year, 128,000 Americans are hospitalized and 3,000 die from foodborne illnesses. Eight known pathogens are estimated to account for the majority of domestically acquired foodborne illnesses, hospitalizations, and deaths. The top 5 pathogens that result in hospitalizations are: salmonella, norovirus, campylobacter spp., toxoplasma gondii, and e.coli O157.

Usually associated with raw or uncooked seafood, meat, poultry, and eggs, most of the recent food-borne illness outbreaks have been linked to a variety of foods other than animal products - in fact, several have been linked to raw produce. For example, while salmonella has been historically linked to raw eggs, only 3 of the past 63 outbreaks of salmonella have been linked to shell eggs. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) came out with a report in 2010 that revealed similar data, making it clear that outbreaks linked to produce are much more common than other food groups.

And although historically called “the Hamburger disease”, of the past 30 reported outbreaks of e.coli O157 since 2006, only 8 were linked to beef. E.coli bacteria live in the intestinal tracts of humans and animals and e.coli O157 is a particular strain that damages the lining of the small intestine and can cause severe abdominal cramps, vomiting and bloody diarrhea. Exposure to e.coli O157 is from contaminated food or water. The reason it is commonly associated with ground beef is because the e.coli bacteria from cattle’s intestines can get onto the meat during slaughtering and processing and because packaged ground beef typically includes meat from multiple different cows, there is a higher risk of contamination. If contracted, healthy adults can recover from the infection within a week, but young children and older adults can develop kidney failure (hemolytic uremic syndrome) which can be life threatening.

The Most Recent Outbreak
But as is evidenced by recent outbreaks, the incidence of e.coli O157 is not just in ground beef but is also found in produce. In fact, leafy greens have been attributed to the cause of roughly a fifth of all foodborne illnesses.

What has caused the most attention in the news is the recent multistate outbreak of e.coli O157 found in romaine lettuce. As of May 16, 2018, there were 172 cases reported across 32 states. Illnesses started on dates ranging from mid March to mid April among ages 1 to 88 years. According to the CDC, of 157 people with information available, 75 (48%) have been hospitalized, including 20 people who developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a type of kidney failure and one death was reported from California. It is the largest American e. coli outbreak since 2006 when tainted spinach sickened almost 200 people across 26 states.

Why Produce?
One indirect reason we are seeing more reports of foodborne illness linked to produce may be because Americans are eating more fresh produce than in the past so there is more exposure. However there are other factors that increase the risk of contamination of raw produce. First, produce can become contaminated with e.coli O157 when it comes into contact with animal or human waste. For example, fields where fresh produce is grown can be contaminated from runoff from cattle farms or contaminated irrigation water. And there can be cross-contamination during processing, particularly when lettuces from multiple farms are co-mingled for pre-packaged salad mixes or when produce is grown on farms where animals are also raised. Lastly, certain foods such as sprouts are grown in conditions that promote bacterial growth and are typically consumed raw so any pathogenic bacteria would remain.

Thus far in the recent romaine lettuce case, investigators have identified the general area of contamination as the Yuma, AZ, growing region but not the specific source of contamination along the chain of growing, harvesting, processing and distributing. To put this into perspective as to how challenging this is to trace, Yuma County is ranked third in the nation for vegetable production and 90% of all leafy vegetables grown in the US from November through March are grown in and around Yuma. Furthermore, the region includes nine facilities that produce bagged lettuce and salad mixes.

Romaine lettuce also comes in many forms: conventional, organic, whole head, unwashed or pre-washed, cored, chopped, or mixed in bags with other lettuces. The more processed the lettuce is, the more opportunities there are for contamination.

Because investigators were unable to pinpoint a source of contamination beyond the general region, initial recommendations were to avoid eating romaine lettuce unless confirmed it was not from the Yuma region. However now, according to the FDA, the last shipments of romaine from the Yuma were on April 16 and because romaine lettuce has a 3 week shelf-life, it should no longer be on any grocery store shelves or served in restaurants so you can finally resume eating romaine again.

How To Reduce Your Risk?
E.coli O157 is destroyed with heat so if you are consuming ground beef, make sure you cook it to an internal temperature of 160F.

However produce is trickier as it is difficult to remove pathogenic bacteria from leafy greens since there are many crevices for bacteria to adhere to on the surface of the leaves or on the interior.  Washing can remove some but not all bacteria and has not been proven to be an effective way to remove harmful e.coli.

Cooking leafy greens is the only way to truly destroy any present e.coli or salmonella. But if you aren’t ready to cook your salad, the most important thing you can do is to practice good human hygiene and safe food handling at home to minimize any risk of cross-contamination. Here are some great tips from the FDA on safe food handling.

Ramps are wild leeks; their flavors are reminiscent of onion and garlic. Not only will these guys provide you with a burst of flavor, these leaves pack a nutritional punch.  They are loaded with Vitamin A, Vitamin C, selenium and chromium. Here are some recipes that use the leaves from these super-seasonal greens. At farmer’s markets, you may also find the bulbs which are amazing when sautéed and it can be used like garlic or scallions.  Next time you are in your neighborhood farmers market give ramp a try!

Ramp Pesto with Roasted Cauliflower

makes about 4 servings

Roasted Cauliflower
1 small head of cauliflower 
1 tbsp olive oil
⅛ tsp of salt

Ramp Pesto 
½ lb ramp leaves
¾ cup nutritional yeast
⅓ cup pine nuts
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
½ cup olive oil
¼ tsp of salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  Chop up cauliflower into small florets.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  Once oven is preheated, add cauliflower florets onto sheet pan lined with parchment paper and cook for 30 minutes, flipping the florets midway.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, add the ramp leaves, nutritional yeast, pine nuts, lemon zest and lemon juice.  Pulse mixture until it forms a puree.  Slowly pulse in olive oil, until it fully combine.

**** If you have ramp bulbs, you can chopped them up and sauteed in a skillet for 5-10 minutes and then added into your food processor.  They will add additional flavor. ****

To serve:

Add 1 cup roasted cauliflower with 1 tbsp of ramp pesto in skillet and mix until cauliflower florets are all coated. Optional: garnish with broccoli rabe flowers.

The leftover ramp pesto is extremely versatile and can be used like a sauce, spread, or even a dip.  You can spread it on a piece of toast, sauté it with your vegetables, add it to pasta...the possibilities are endless.

Nutritional Information per serving of Cauliflower with Pesto:
Calories: 110kcal
Fat: 8g
Saturated fat: 1g
Sodium: 100mg
Potassium: 430mg
Carbs: 8g
Fiber: 3g
Protein: 4g

Nutritional Information per serving of 1 tbsp Ramp Pesto:
Calories: 45kcal
Fat: 4g
Saturated fat: 0g
Sodium: 20mg
Potassium: 30mg
Carbs: 2g
Fiber: 1g
Protein: 1g

Think about it...when you buy a dozen eggs, you know exactly what you are getting. However, when buying protein powder, you take a leap of faith that what you are buying is exactly what is on the label. This is for two reasons. First, you know what an egg looks, feels, and tastes like. But when you are buying a powder that is said to come from specific ingredients and contain a certain amount of calories, fat, and protein, how are you to verify that? Powder is powder.

Furthermore, the FDA does not regulate supplements like food. That is why there is always a disclaimer on supplement labels. Because of this lack of regulation, what is claimed on the label may not reflect what is actually in the package. Whether intentional or not, additional contaminants may end up in your supplements.

Enter the Clean Label Project, an organization focused on transparency in food labeling. Earlier this year, the Clean Label Project came out with a report that examined contamination and nutritional value of protein powders.  They based their ratings on 5 categories:

• Arsenic/Mercury
• Cadmium/Lead
• Residual Solvents/Pesticides
• Mycotoxins/Melamine/Antibiotics/BPA/BPS
• Nutritional Superiority

After getting the lab results, they ranked the protein powders with 1-5 stars, 1 being the worst score, 5 being the best. If you scroll through the list, you may be disheartened to find a product you use on the list.  But it's important to understand several things about the results:

• Consider the source of the protein. Fish based products will naturally have more mercury than products derived from other sources; similarly, plant-based protein powders may have more arsenic in them than animal-derived protein powders. This is because plants get the arsenic from the soil.
• This data was not produced in the way other research is published in respected scientific journals.  It was not peer-reviewed and the organization did not provide transparency about how they conducted the study (ie. methods and materials), what kind of analysis they ran, and whether or not their findings were statistically significant. Ranking is only a relative value, which could be of minimal significance in terms of absolute value.
• Finally, the fact that there are “Buy Now” buttons for the protein powders that ranked well raises skepticism that CLP is making money off of these brands and potentially could have had reason to favor certain brands over others.

As a culinary dietitian, I cannot speak to the validity of CLP or these results, but I can tell you that regardless of their exposé, you likely do not need to be buying protein powder to begin with. Americans are definitely lacking in some very important nutrients and food groups; however protein is not one of them. In fact, we are taking in more protein than we actually need. My advice? Skip the protein powder aisle and make a bee line to the produce section because that’s where the majority of our deficiencies lie.