Bengaluru to soon have a ‘No Food Waste’ vehicle

The ‘No Food Waste’ vehicle, sponsored by the Airports Authority of India in Bengaluru, represents one of the first steps towards addressing food wastage in the city. The stark reality of the food production process reveals that approximately 35% of the food produced ends up in the trash. According to a recent circular from the Bruhat Bengaluru Hotels Association (BBHA), an estimated 68.7 million tonnes of food are wasted annually.

P C Rao, the president of Bruhat Bengaluru Hotels Association (BBHA) told DH that the introduction of the ‘No Food Waste’ vehicle by the Airports Authority of India is a great initiative.

“The highest food wastage is reported in wedding halls and star hotels, which dump food regardless of the shelf life of the food product. For instance, items like gulab jamun and other sweets remain fresh and are edible for up to two to three days from the date of preparation. Idly, biryani and white rice are also durable for up to 12 hours,” he said, adding that safety measures must be taken while collecting surplus food, considering the possibility of risk at its usage. He said that BBHA has not officially collaborated with the Airport Authority of India yet and that the association will soon make decisions in this regard.

Rao pointed out that a significant portion of wastage occurs with thali meals, which typically include a combination of main courses, vegetables, curry, and sweets.

He said, “So much food is wasted when we serve thalis. Nowadays, people are health-conscious and tend to avoid sweet items like payasam or jamun. Therefore, we are planning to educate customers to return items they do not intend to eat immediately, preventing unnecessary wastage.”

Rao believes that the initial step to reduce food waste is to minimise production both in restaurants and staff cafeterias within upscale hotels. BBHA is collaborating with the government to introduce technologies that help estimate the quantity of food needed based on demand, thus reducing wastage.

He added, “We are planning to develop a food waste management logbook to track daily wastage, encouraging both hotel staff and customers to serve and consume food more consciously.” However, Rao mentioned that BBHA currently lacks specific data on the annual food wastage in Bengaluru.

Sharing his perspective, hotelier Arun Adiga highlighted that food wastage at Vidyarthi Bhavan, one of the city’s oldest eateries, is almost negligible due to its concise menu.

He explained, ‘Our main attraction is masala dosa, and wastage is minimal because we incorporate leftover batter into the fresh batch, expediting the fermentation process. We prepare chutney and aloo palya based on the day’s customer flow, ensuring fresh preparations every half an hour.”

Adiga mentioned that the only reported wastage at Vidyarthi Bhavan occurs during unavoidable circumstances like rain.

Adiga advised hoteliers to analyse the perishability of purchased ingredients and make suitable storage arrangements accordingly. He emphasised that most items can be stored for a maximum of 15 days, suggesting the creation of weekly plans to minimise wastage.