A recent study conducted by testers at the Johns Hopkins University revealed that North American consumers are the worst. Find out why by reading the detailed description of the scientific experiment in what follows.
Researchers from the Johns Hopkins University surveyed a study group comprising 1,000 respondents under the careful guidance of Professor Roni Neff. They were keen on finding out the new habits of the American consumer and whether significant changes have occurred in their behavior since the last tests were carried out years ago.
Results, however, were not promising at all. Figures show that North American consumers are the worst because they tend to throw too much food away even when the products are still edible. The study has further revealed that 31 to 40 percent of the food in the American households is thrown away each year.
What is more alarming is the fact that this behavior strikes more and more powerful roots among the American population as the years go by. In spite of the economic crisis and the efforts that the government has made to prevent food waste, 20 percent more products were thrown away in 2012 than they used to be in 2000.
Based on the declaration that the respondents have made during the study, approximately $640-worth food is ditched each year by each and every American household. Investigators, however, claim that more accurate studies could indicate figures of up to $900 per year.
The research did not focus only on the consumerist preferences of the Americans, but also on the identification of some of the factors that determines them to waste food.
Respondents’ answers have revealed that Americans prefer to eat healthy and fresh products; therefore they throw many of the aliments they purchase from one day to another. Some of them prefer to stay on the safe side and ditch products before they become too old to avoid food poisoning.
¾ of the interviewed individuals admitted that they throw food once a month, whereas half of the respondents completely empty their refrigerators every weekend. Few participants were aware that leftovers can be used to create other dishes or that they can be safely preserved until later.
At the end of the research, investigators issued a list of possible practices that North American consumers may resort to in order to avoid food waste. Scientists recommend customers to store products in plastic bags as the latter have proven themselves more effective in keeping food fresh.
In addition, fruits, vegetables and meat can be frozen until they are processed; thus, maintaining all their healthy properties.
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