US wastes 150,000 tons of food daily

TAMPA: Americans waste nearly 150,000 tons of food per day, amounting to about one pound (422 gm) per person, and fruits and vegetables are mostly what gets tossed, said a study yesterday. The amount of land used annually to grow food that ends up in the garbage in the United States is 30 million acres, or seven percent of total US cropland. Some 4.2 trillion gallons of irrigation water gets wasted too, said the report. Fruits and vegetables made up 39 percent of total food waste, followed by dairy (17 percent), meat (14 percent) and grains (12 percent). Items least likely to be thrown out included salty snacks, table oils, egg dishes, candy and soft drinks. — AFP