Abstract:
The aim of this study is to develop a process using the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) System to develop a product named ‘Foods Companion’ from the food loss and waste (FLW) including peels of processed fresh Tomato fruits, wastes (Tomato concentrate) generated from the Tomato paste factory, fresh hot pepper, fresh sweet pepper, fresh Onion, fresh Garlic and fresh Ginger, respectively. Furthermore, this ‘Foods Companion’ was developed from the FLW including those generated from the slices of fruits of fresh Tomatoes at the point of primary processing (before crushing) and the processed Tomato peels, Tomato concentrate at the point of secondary processing (after crushing) which are collected at various collection points of the factory. It is pertinent to know that FLW is a moral-related issue because roughly 12% of the World’s population is faced with hunger-threat due to excessive losses and wastages of food around the globe. In this study, after successfully developing the ‘Foods Companion’ sensory analysis results obtained from sensory judges of the foods prepared revealed that several foods can be expediently and successfully prepared using the Foods Companion as the sole ingredient and these foods include Cous-cous, cooked Rice, fresh beaten egg, Noodles, pastas, and boiled Yam and also stew can be prepared using the Foods Companion. And the developed ‘Foods Companion’ can be used for the preparation of various foods at homes, restaurants, hotels, schools, camps of the Internally Displaced Persons, boarding schools, and working class bachelors/spinsters and as well students of higher institutions of learning can conveniently use it for preparing their foods in their homes and hostels. The authors developed this Foods Companion to convert food waste to safe food that will generate wealth to minimize FLW within the Food Supply Chain and avert environmental degradation.
