Reducing food waste : improving shelf life and sensory quality of fermented dairy products by product optimization and consumer insights

Sammendrag

In 2022, the United Nations reported that 1.05 billion tons of food were wasted, despite widespread hunger and food insecurity (United Nations, 2025). This underscores the importance of studying factors that can improve product quality and extend shelf life, as these measures can help reduce food waste. Beyond product improvements, consumer behavior plays a critical role in reducing food waste. Date labels on food products can influence disposal decisions and are often linked to household food waste. Consequently, sensory and consumer research are needed to support the development of good-quality products with extended shelf life set in accordance with consumer acceptance. This PhD thesis aimed to establish a deeper understanding of how raw materials, processing parameters, and consumer insights can be leveraged to extend the shelf life of fermented dairy products and reduce food waste. The overarching goal was to identify strategies that support waste reduction both at the consumer and industry levels through optimized product quality and extended shelf life.

Les publikasjonen her:

NVA : hdl.handle.net/11250/5504652