FEATURE
A Fresh Take
What is seasonal eating and why is it an important catering consideration? Tess Warnes, Dietitian at food procurement expert allmanhall explains.
Many of us have heard the term ‘seasonal eating’ but it is hard to fully understand what that means with the vast choice and array of foods so readily available to us, year-round.
As consumers we expect to be able to buy a huge variety of foods that come from all corners of the world, and at all times of the year. A quick inspection of food labels will show the range of countries food come from: tomatoes from Spain, sweet potatoes from South Africa and asparagus from Mexico. But is having this availability such a good thing, both through the impact on the environment, and on the quality of the product being bought.
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
In the case of the environmental impact, we can take the humble spring onion as an example. A huge proportion of spring onions consumed across the UK are imported from Thailand meaning it has travelled approximately 5,900 miles to get to our supermarkets. Egyptian spring onions are also shipped into the UK. From a sustainability perspective, this clearly has an impact on the environment, especially if the mode of transport is airfreight. Long-distance travel may mean increased environmental costs for us however it's important to note that the food miles argument in its most simple state is defunct. The transportation of food only accounts for a small percentage of
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the value chain when it comes to emissions. A shipped spring onion will have a lower carbon footprint than one grown out of season in a hot house in the UK, requiring extensive resources to recreate the growing conditions needed.
Foodsteps, the ground-breaking carbon impact assessment technology business, sets out to help foodservice and catering providers understand the environmental impact of the food they include on their menus. Via its platform, caterers can upload recipes in order to understand their environmental impact via a clear rating system and carbon footprint per ingredient. allmanhall has an exclusive partnership with Foodsteps, and together they aim to make data accessible, allow informed decisions on the environmental impact of menus, and create a more sustainable food supply.
https://allmanhall.co.uk/blog/allmanhall-partner-with-foodsteps FOOD QUALITY
When it comes to the quality of the produce, if imported it will mean that by the time we actually eat it, it will be days, if not weeks old.
In general, fruits and vegetables are picked at the peak of their ripeness and also, the peak of their nutritional status. The problem in our spring onion example is that it has had to travel for days to get to the point of being eaten, meaning it has started to age.
www.tomorrowscare.co.uk
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