According to the most recent data, nearly two third of United States population is reportedly overweight or obese. However, there is a growing segment of the population which is becoming more health conscious and has started changing diet to natural or paleo food to such an extent that it can be termed as a “Food revolution”.

There is an increase in the consumption of organic, non-processed food in its natural form. There is also an increase of awareness and interest in understanding what the nutrients of the food are, people research or read extensively into what they are eating rather than accept what is told to them.

Some try to grow their own food while others pick a preferred seller who is close to their taste and stick to them. These health-conscious consumers are now willing to pay a premium for quality food, for better transparency and precise information between the seller and the buyer. This creates more opportunities for companies and farmers willing to produce quality food.

The changing trend towards quality is here to stay.

An opportunity to use food waste

On August 2nd, 2016, the Italian Parliament passed a new set of laws to encourage people and businesses (including farms) to give away food past its sell-by date to the poor, allowing businesses to donate in a simple form.

The central goal is to reduce the amount of food waste by more than 1 million metric tons. As a matter of fact, the current estimated 5 million metric tons of food waste per year costs the country some $13 billion. But the new food law isn’t just impacting businesses and farmers: the legislation will create a campaign encouraging people and families to take doggy bags home and to not waste uneaten food at restaurants.

The move has been taken after that the British company Wrap that found that around 360 million meals are wasted in the U.K. every year by supermarkets, hence calling for a better communication between supermarkets and charities to help remedy the situation by ensuring that food ends up on peoples’ plates and not in the trash.

Other countries have also taken steps to combat food waste: few months ago, France banned supermarkets from tossing edible food in the trash and, at the same time, adopted a law requiring restaurants to give doggy bags to diners who ask for them.

Last year, American lawmakers issued the Food Recovery Act which offers a set of steps to reduce the current 20% of food waste, at home and in restaurants, as well as establishing an office of Food Recovery, dedicated to measuring and reducing food waste.

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