Recent research shows that allowing frozen food to be stored at a temperature of -15 degrees C instead of -18 degrees C could reduce carbon emissions while still enabling food to be kept for long periods.
The research was carried out by the University of Birmingham in the UK, London South Bank University and the International Institute of Refrigeration in Paris and is being promoted by Dubai based logistics company DP World.
Allowing food to be transported and stored at -15°C would, each year, save 17.7 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide, a key contributor to climate change. This is as much CO2 as is emitted by 3.8 million cars.
A statement from DP World, said moving to -15°C would “bring the industry together to explore new, greener standards to help decarbonise the sector on a global scale. Through this research, we can see how we can deploy accessible storage technologies in all markets to freeze food at sustainable temperatures, while reducing food scarcity for vulnerable and developed communities.”