In a competition, Sweden’s oldest spice jar is now wanted, because they want to test how it tastes.
The goal is to reduce wastage and show that food survives long after its best before date.
– Every sixth Swede throws away pantry items that are edible, says Anna Holmqvist, head of sustainability at Matsmart.
A third of the world’s food ends up in the bin, shows a report from the United Nations Environment Programme, Food Waste Index Report 2024. And according to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, Swedish households throw away 343,000 tonnes of edible food annually.
– Every sixth Swede throws away pantry items that are edible, just because of the best-before date, says Anna Holmqvist, who is head of sustainability at Matsmart.
The Swedish Food Agency informs that the best-before date is not about how long a food is safe to eat, but only that the quality, such as taste and resilience, is guaranteed. Many foods are therefore safe to eat even after the set date.
Sustainable spices
Spices are particularly durable because microorganisms cannot survive in the dry environment of the spice jar.
– Therefore, they can be eaten long after the best-before date, says Petra Bergkvist, state inspector at the Swedish Food Agency.
And now attention is drawn to the spices’ special durability in a competition.
– We want to encourage the Swedes to find Sweden’s best spice jar. So go out and look in pantries in the summer cottage, says Anna Holmqvist.
The winner’s spice find will be used by a chef, who will use it in a dish.