The Shelf Life of Tomatoes

About a third of what’s produced for human consumption isn’t eaten. We look at why the food we grow doesn’t always make it to our plate.

It's not just the leftovers from a big meal. There are many ways that food gets wasted along the supply chain: the wheat that escapes the thresher, the apple that rolls off the truck on the way to the factory, or the tomatoes that rot while they are waiting to be sold. In emerging markets like China and India, attitudes toward food waste are changing.

Elsewhere new technology is being developed to keep our food lasting longer.