How frozen food helps to cool the planet
The world could achieve significant energy savings by slightly adjusting freezer temperatures from -18 °C to -15 °C. This could also help reduce carbon emissions, while maintaining the safety and quality of frozen food. This new strategy, presented in a recent summary report by the International Institute of Refrigeration, could lead to a global transformation of the frozen fruit and vegetable sector.
Join the Move to -15 °C
Independent academics from universities across Europe and Africa and the International Institute of Refrigeration concluded that a slight change of 3 degrees can make an enormous difference. Global logistics firm DP World, COP28’s principal partner, supported the research. DP World has set up the industry-wide coalition Join the Move to -15 °C to explore this possible change. Global logistic industry leaders like Maersk, Lineage, MSC and many others have joined the movement.
The benefits of a 3-degree change
A modest change in freezing standards could save around 25 TWh per year of energy, twice the annual electricity consumption of countries like Kenya. The change could also help cut 17.7 million tonnes of CO2 emissions each year.
Compared to chilling, freezing and frozen storage can achieve longer product shelf life. Higher freezing temperatures would lower the costs of freezing food, making the frozen channel a more competitive alternative in the market. Recent research shows that post-harvest loss in fruit and vegetables are as high as 25 to 50%. In almost all cases, retail and consumer waste rates for frozen fruit and vegetables are substantially lower than their fresh equals.
Also, changing the temperature from -18 °C to -15 °C will hardly harm food safety or quality. A temperature of - 12°C is enough to stop the growth of a wide range of microorganisms that cause food spoilage and foodborne illness. Instead of temperature, other factors are more important to ensure frozen food quality, such as:
- Product selection;
- Processing; and
- Packaging.
Global cold-chain systems
The initiative could lead to a revival and improvement of global cold-chain systems. The effects are substantial for developing countries. A shift towards more energy- and cost-efficient freezing methods could:
- Significantly reduce food losses;
- Benefit smallholder farmers; and
- Promote a sustainable and resilient global food system.
Due to the current lack of cold chains, the world loses 12% of its food production every year. If producers and exporters could save this amount, it could feed 1 billion people a year.
The authors will publish a full report in 2024, but early findings show that people can only achieve the benefits of a -15 °C frozen food cold chain if everyone in the chain switches to the new temperature regime. If not, it would disadvantage actors within the value chain that still work at a lower temperature, as they would need to reduce the temperature of previously stored food from -15 °C back to -18 °C.
Collaborative efforts for future-ready solutions
“Currently, the industry standard set-point is -18 °C or lower, a temperature established in the mid-20th century that provides a good safety margin,” said Professor Toby Peters from the Centre for Sustainable Cooling.
The research will open a global dialogue on sustainable food storage practices. Changing the global standard from -18 °C to -15 °C requires action at a national and international level, involving different stakeholders, ranging from governments, to the private sector, and research institutes.
Learn more
To learn more about frozen fruit and vegetables, read our product studies on frozen berries, frozen vegetables, and tropical frozen fruit.
Read CBI’s tips to go green in the processed fruit and vegetables and edible nuts sector to learn more about a more climate-positive impact and the related benefits for exporters of processed fruit and vegetables and edible nuts to Europe.
Autentika Global wrote this news article for CBI.
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