AURI Connects: Webinar Wednesday
a monthly webinar series hosted by the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute
Every 2nd Wednesday
12 pm - 1 pm CT
www.auri.org/webinar-wednesday/

Funded through the Agricultural Innovation Partnership Program
Catalyzing innovation, generating new ideas and supporting collaborative
partnerships that advance Minnesota’s value-added agricultural industry
Challenge: Map MN Food Loss and Waste (FLW) Value Chain
Key AURI Takeaways:
1. Already working in FLW in a defined role, just haven’t been calling it that
2. Opportunities exist, but need a sponsor to commercialize

Building the
Business Case for
Food Loss and
Waste and
Stakeholder
Engagement

FLW MN Products: Building the Business Case for
FLW and Stakeholder Engagement
PTR partnered with AURI to assist in developing AURI focus and path forward on FLW by quantifying opportunities that
sustainably decrease FLW in Minnesota
About PTR (Packaging Technology & Research)
We are science and value chain experts who support clients that want to both achieve a more sustainable food system and
be profitable
Strategic Direction Science Advisor Sustainability
Food Loss Waste (FLW)
Reduction
Packaging Suppliers Entrepreneurs Food Manufacturers Start-ups, food and packaging
industry, organizations
30+ 12% 1,3,5 25+
Identified OTR and MVTR and
mechanical packaging
requirements for 30categories
Decrease in package costs by
optimizingpackaging materials
Year Implementation plans for
more sustainable packaging
Options and paths forward built
PTR Case Studies

AIP Project Team
Ziynet Boz for PTR
Alan Doering for AURI
Ashley Harguth for AURI
Katie Mahoney for PTR
Jason Robinson for AURI
Michael Sparby for AURI

Agenda
1. Project Rationale
2. Project Summary
3. At a Glance Results
4. Potential to Reduce FLW in Minnesota

Food Loss and Waste (FLW) is Relevant to the Food
System
• FLW impacts the environment
unfavorably
• FLW is expensive for the whole
supply chain from farmers to
consumers
• FLW is avoidable
• FLW inhibits food access

Solutions vary to decrease Food Loss & Waste
• Supply chain solutions to lower FLW are different
• Each solution needs a business case to translate the FLW into dollars to drive the solution
forward
• Business cases are different for each product and stage in the supply chain

Solutions to FLW vary in impact
DIVERSION - FEED ANIMALS
 AURI coproducts for animal consumption; PTR
analysis identified viable projects in this arena
DIVERSION INDUSTRIAL USES
 AURI bio-derived energy; PTR analysis identified WTE
viable projects
PREVENTION - SOURCE REDUCTION
 Analysis identified viable projects including:
AURI coproducts for human consumption and
AURI focus on farms and processors

AURI adds value with expertise in coproducts and
processing

Project Focus
This project focused on:
• Identifying FLW solutions selected Minnesota
products
• Building the business case for these solutions
• PTR partnered with AURI to assist
in developing AURI focus and path
forward on FLW by quantifying
opportunities that sustainably
decrease FLW in Minnesota
• AURI’s traditional role in food waste reduction
aligns with Source Reduction, Feed Animals and
Industrial Uses

Agenda
1. Project Rationale
2. Project Summary
3. At a Glance Results
4. Potential to Reduce FLW in Minnesota

Summary of Project-Process
1. PTR blended in-field application expertise, research, and public and
private databases to quantify FLW throughout the value chain and
derive coproduct, packaging, processing and systems solutions
3. 12 of the 287 solutions were explored in a deep dive by the AURI-
PTR Team to assess feasibility, refine solutions
2. PTR identified and quantified 287 viable product, process, packaging,
and systems solutions in the value chain that reduce FLW by 1.1 Billion
pounds for 7 Minnesota products

Summary of Project-Net
1. Opportunity!
2. AURI already working in FLW in a defined role, just haven’t been calling it
that
3. AURI has the potential to expand FLW initiatives and remain within AURI
core competencies
4. Opportunities exist, but need a sponsor to commercialize
5. Next steps include seeking engagement and funding from stakeholders

9% 10%
45%
20%2%
5%
27%
23%
90%
1%
1%
2%
7%
3%
2%
6%
22% 25%
3% 3%
16% 16%
1%
4%
1.Canned Corn 2.Canned
Kidney Beans
3.Cider 4.Wine 5.Small Cheese
Processors for
Whey Only
6.UnSalable
Cheese at Retail
7.UnSalable
Milk at Retail
Summary of Work: Impact of
Solutions by Category

Summary of Work: Opportunity
Excludes: Unsaleable Milk & Cheese, and Sugar Beets
Consumers
Farm

Agenda
1. Project Rationale
2. Project Summary
3. At a Glance Results
4. Potential to Reduce FLW in Minnesota

Food Waste
Based on MDA/USDA data and
ReFED FLW values
Identified and Quantified Solutions and Deep Dive
Canned
Corn
127,743,000 Pounds
$6,756,668
34 % Waste
• Deep Dive on 1 of 67 solutions
• Canned Foods Lids
Canned Kidney Beans 41,230,035 Pounds
$33,547,800
35 % Waste
• Deep Dive on 2 of 52 solutions
• Canned Foods Lids
• Kidney Beans and Canning – Co-Products From Bean Pieces & Agra-H20 waste solids
Wine 318,901 Pounds
$27,106,551
60 % Waste
• 81 solutions
• No deep dive
Cider 690,000 Pounds
$556,110
77 % Waste
• Deep Dive on 2 of 42 solutions
• Apples & Cider Vision sorting of bad apples
• Apples & Cider Patulin removal
Small Cheese Processors
(excluded-above graph)
93,240,000
90 % Waste
• Deep Dive on 1 of 3 solutions
• Enable extraction valuable ingredients at small-scale dairies
Unsalable Cheese at Retail
(excluded-above graph)
45,584,000 Pounds
$244,330,240
22 % Waste
• Deep Dive on 3 of 9 solutions
• Equipment to remove cheese from packaging and develop food or animal feed coproducts
• Apply a WTE program of combined packaging and cheese
Unsalable Milk at Retail
(excluded-above graph)
786,092,535 Pounds
$237,655,883
25 % Waste
• Deep Dive on 3 of 9 solutions
• Equipment to remove milk from packaging and develop food or animal feed coproducts
• Apply a WTE program of combined packaging and milk
Sugar Beets (excluded-graph and
project total pounds)
Variable at 9.4B Pounds
$171,117,107
26 % Waste
• 24 solutions
• No deep dive

At A Glance I CIDER:
Vision sorting of Bad Apples
Cider Value Chain Pounds of Food
Waste
0
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
3.Cider
Farm
Manufacturing
Distribution
Retail Consumers

Details of Solution
 Implement Vision systems to rapidly sort
apples to control mold spreading and patulin
patulin development
 Link with apples slated for patulin removal
 Mn Apple Growers Assoc
 Cideries
 MDA & USDA
 Specialty Crop funds
 FLW stakeholders
 Gleaners
 Univ of Mn CFANS
Next Steps
Economic analysis on value gained by vision sorting
Apply for Specialty Crop Grant and other support
FLW Opportunity Impact for Solution
362,250 pounds
Address ~20-35% FLW
Where FLW Occurs
Long Timeline Easily Achieved
AT FARMS & IN STORAGE
Skill Needed for FLW
PROCESS SOLUTIONS TO REDUCE FOOD WASTE
FeasibilityOpportunity Size AURI Alignment
Low High Low High
At A Glance I CIDER:
Vision sorting of Bad Apples

At A Glance I CIDER
Apples & Cider Patulin removal
0
100,000
200,000
300,000
400,000
500,000
600,000
3.Cider
Farm
Distribution
Retail Consumers
Manufacturing
Cider Value Chain Pounds of Food
Waste

At A Glance I CIDER
Apples & Cider Patulin removal
Details of Solution
 Enable use of apples containing patulin for
for within alcoholic cider since fermentation
fermentation destroys patulin
 Implement patulin removal fermentation
technology, food processing management,
HACCP, separate stream controls
Stakeholders and Funding Resources
 Mn Apple Growers Assoc
 Cideries
 MDA & USDA
 Specialty Crop funds
 FLW stakeholders
 Gleaners
 Univ of Mn CFANS
Next Steps
• Apply for Specialty Crop Grant and support
• Economic analysis needed on viability stream
separation location and operational investment
FLW Opportunity Impact for Solution
• 362,250 pounds
• Address ~20-35% FLW
Long Timeline Easily AchievedLow High Low High
AT FARMS, CIDER MILL
AND FERMENTATION
PROCESS SOLUTIONS TO REDUCE WASTE
Where FLW Occurs Skill Needed for FLW
FeasibilityOpportunity Size AURI Alignment

0
5,000,000
10,000,000
15,000,000
20,000,000
25,000,000
2.Canned Kidney Beans
Farm
Distribution
Consumers
Food Shelf/BankManufacturing
Kidney Beans Value Chain Pounds of Food
Waste
At A Glance I KIDNEY BEANS
CoProducts From Bean Pieces & Agra H20 waste

Details of Solution
 Make coproducts from broken and un-
cannable solids & from wastewater via
screening and ultrafiltration
 Business case built by reducing BOD and
cost of water disposal and environmental
impact
 The cost savings is not captured in FLW
values
Stakeholders and Funding Resources
 Juicers
 Animal feed processors
 Can suppliers
 Cannery-Seneca Foods, La Costeña
(Faribault), DelMonte
 Partners needed for commercialization
Next Steps
Economic analysis needed on viability of
wastewater disposal (BOD load, tipping fees) and
amount of solids in wastewater and bean pieces
FLW Opportunity Impact for Solution
6,246,975 pounds
Address ~5%
Long Timeline Easily AchievedLow High Low High
AT CANNERY COPRODUCT SOLUTIONS
TO REDUCE WASTE
At A Glance I KIDNEY BEANS
CoProducts From Bean Pieces & Agra H20 waste
Where FLW Occurs Skill Needed for FLW
FeasibilityOpportunity Size AURI Alignment

0
10,000,000
20,000,000
30,000,000
40,000,000
50,000,000
60,000,000
70,000,000
80,000,000
90,000,000
Total
Farm
Distribution
Retail
Consumers
Manufacturing
Food Shelf/Bank
At A Glance I CANNED FOOD
Lids
Canned Food Value Chain Pounds of Food Waste

At A Glance I CANNED FOOD
Lids
Details of Solution
• Resealable cans for MN canned goods
• Reusable branded lids for crops canned in MN
Stakeholders and Funding Resources
• M-BOLD and MDA, Retailers-Krogers; Target; Whole
Foods; Coops; organic canneries
Next Steps
• Assess if share opportunity with stakeholders
• Not within AURI competencies
FLW Opportunity Impact for Solution
• 66,565,135 pounds
• Address ~13-15% FLW
Long Timeline Easily Achieved
Low High
Low High
BY CONSUMERS
PACKAGE SOLUTIONS TO
REDUCE WASTE
Where FLW Occurs
Skill Needed for FLW
Feasibility
Opportunity Size
AURI Alignment

At A Glance I UNSALABLE MILK:
Produce human coproducts from
unsalable milk
Retail
0
100,000,000
200,000,000
300,000,000
400,000,000
500,000,000
600,000,000
700,000,000
800,000,000
900,000,000
7.UnSalable Milk at Retail
Unsalable Milk Value Chain Pounds of Food
Waste

At A Glance I UNSALABLE MILK
Produce animal feed from unsalable
milk
Retail
0
100,000,000
200,000,000
300,000,000
400,000,000
500,000,000
600,000,000
700,000,000
800,000,000
900,000,000
7.UnSalable Milk at Retail
Unsalable Milk Value Chain Pounds of Food
Waste

At A Glance I UNSALABLE MILK
Generate WTE from unsalable milk
0
100,000,000
200,000,000
300,000,000
400,000,000
500,000,000
600,000,000
700,000,000
800,000,000
900,000,000
7.UnSalable Milk at Retail
Unsalable Milk Value Chain Pounds of Food
Waste

At A Glance I UNSALABLE MILK: Produce human
coproducts from unsalable milk
Details of Solution
• Use existing equipment to remove milk from
recyclable packaging
• Subsequent production of human food coproducts
coproducts from recovered (not past code) milk
that includes: Fat recapture, Cottage cheese,
Paneer, Milk powder
Stakeholders and Funding Resources
• Dairy Industry;
• Retailers (Hi-Vee)
• Animal feed industry
• Equipment developers and engineering firms
Long Timeline Easily Achieved
Low High Low High
POST RETAIL HANDLING AT
DAIRIES
EQUIPMENT AND
COPRODUCTS
Next Steps
• Economic analysis needed on viability of
capturing out-of-code unsaleable milk waste
for human food ingredients
• Existing machinery needs to be adapted for
FSMA and HACCP and general food safety
• AURI coproducts expertise
• Assess funding via AIP, RCDG
FLW Opportunity Impact for Solution
• 628,874,028 pounds
• Address ~20% FLW
Where FLW Occurs Skill Needed for FLWFeasibilityOpportunity Size AURI Alignment

FLW Opportunity Impact for Solution
• 157,218,507 pounds
• Address ~5% FLW
At A Glance I UNSALABLE MILK
Produce animal feed from unsalable milk
Details of Solution
• Use existing equipment to remove milk from recyclable
packaging
• Subsequent production of animal feed from milk
Stakeholders and Funding Resources
• Dairy Industry;
• Retailers (Hi-Vee)
• Animal feed industry
• Equipment developers and engineering firms
Next Steps
• Economic analysis needed on viability of capturing out-of-
code unsaleable milk waste for animal use or food
ingredients and adaptation of existing machinery needs to
be adapted for FSMA and HACCP and general food safety
• Assess funding via AIP, RCDG
Long Timeline Easily Achieved
Low High Low High
POST RETAIL HANDLING AT
DAIRIES
EQUIPMENT AND
COPRODUCTS
Where FLW Occurs
Skill Needed for FLW
Feasibility
Opportunity Size AURI Alignment

At A Glance I UNSALABLE MILK
Generate WTE from unsalable milk
Details of Solution
• Implement use WTE for combined packaging and milk
Stakeholders and Funding Resources
• Dairy Industry
• Retailers (Hi-Vee)
• Bioreactor
• Landfills
Next Steps
• Economic analysis needed on viability of capturing
unsaleable milk and packaging waste for WTE
• Assess funding via AIP, RCDG
FLW Opportunity Impact for Solution
• 786,092,535 pounds
• Address ~25% FLW
Long Timeline Easily Achieved
Low High
Low High
POST RETAIL HANDLING AT
DAIRIES
WTE
Where FLW Occurs
Skill Needed for FLW
Feasibility
Opportunity Size
AURI Alignment

Manufacturing
0
10,000,000
20,000,000
30,000,000
40,000,000
50,000,000
60,000,000
70,000,000
80,000,000
90,000,000
100,000,000
5.Small Cheese Processors for Whey Only
Small-Scale Dairies
Value Chain Pounds of
Food Waste
At A Glance I SMALL SCALE DAIRIES
Whey-based Coproducts at
small-scale dairies

Next Steps
• Economic analysis needed on viability of producing
producing coproducts from whey
• AURI coproducts expertise
• Assess funding via AIP, RCDG
FLW Opportunity Impact for Solution
• ~93,240,000 pounds assuming 5% of cheese is from
from small dairies
• Address ~90% FLW by weight
At A Glance I SMALL SCALE DAIRIES
Whey-based Coproducts at small-scale dairies
Details of Solution
• Production of human whey-based coproducts at
small scale cheese producers including: Whey
cream, Cheese sauce, Soluble cocoa powder
product, Condensed to produce whey-based
cheeses (e.g. Ricotta), Products made from
demineralized whey for people with lactose
intolerance, Protein fraction for egg replacement,
Whey-based drinks
Stakeholders and Funding Resources
• Dairy Industry;
• Retailers (Hi-Vee)
• Animal feed industry
• Equipment developers and engineering firms
Long Timeline Easily Achieved
Low High Low High
POST RETAIL HANDLING AT
DAIRIES
EQUIPMENT AND
COPRODUCTS
Where FLW Occurs Skill Needed for FLW
FeasibilityOpportunity Size AURI Alignment

Agenda
1. Project Summary
2. Rationale
3. At a Glance Results
4. Potential to Reduce FLW in Minnesota

Q&A
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www.auri.org/webinar-wednesday/