UK Cold Food Supply Chain create roadmap to 2050 net zero target

The project aims to deliver energy savings, significantly reduced postharvest food losses and better quality of products to UK industry and policy makers, as well as reduced emissions related to crop loss, by:

• Updating information on energy usage and CO2 emissions
• Assessing how to maintain the quality and safety of fresh produce in the supply chain
• Designing strategies to reduce food loss
• Evaluating future cooling energy consumption demands and their impact on UK energy
• Using a systems approach to explore how to manage cooling demand
• Determining areas of intervention, considering available energy and thermal resources, emission targets and other commitments as well as costs

Dr Natalia Falagán, lecturer in food science and technology at Cranfield University and co-investigator of this project, said:

"Food security is an integrated global challenge. Connecting fresh produce cooling needs with energy across the supply chain will optimise the system, reducing emissions and food losses".

Project leader Toby Peters, professor of cold economy at the University of Birmingham, commented:

“Much of UK’s food is dependent on the cold food chain, which is also a significant contributor to the country’s energy demand. Our project is about thinking thermally and analysing engineering, energy resources, food quality and safety, finance and business aspects to crack the conundrum of sustainable decarbonisation of cooling and the cold-chain."