One in four animals we raise for food is discarded uneaten.

Indeed, data provided by Dutch researchers (Leiden University) indicate that in 2019 we disposed of around 18 billion animals, and that is a quarter of all the animals we raise for human consumption.

Given the magnitude of the figures, it seems crazy, especially if we think about the amount of work and energy that is consumed for nothing, only to throw it away.

Most of the waste is produced in the countries where the most meat is eaten, with China, the USA and Brazil leading the way. Although I suppose that developed Europe will not be far away.

The reasons for animal waste in the food industry are diverse. Some of the most common are:

• Accidental deaths: Animals can die accidentally in the production process, for example, from disease, injury or human error.
• Standardization: The food industry is based on standardization, meaning that only animals that meet certain criteria can be sold. Animals that do not meet these criteria may be scraped, even if they are healthy and edible.
• Changes in demand: Demand for meat can vary depending on the season, food trends or economic factors. When demand is low, producers may be forced to discard animals that cannot be sold.

Animal waste has a series of negative consequences, both for the environment and for society:

• Environmental impact: Animal waste contributes to climate change, water pollution and biodiversity loss.
• Economic costs: The waste of animals represents an economic cost for producers, consumers and society in general.
• Ethical issues: Animal waste raises ethical issues as it involves the suffering and death of animals that could have been used to feed people.

There is not much that we users can do, but something can always be done. Such as making purchasing decisions that help reduce animal waste, choosing seasonal and locally sourced products.

And we can do something even more important by reducing our meat consumption: Meat is the food product that contributes the most to animal waste. If we reduce our meat consumption, we will reduce the number of animals that are raised and therefore the number of animals that are wasted.