How the Fridge Changed Food | Nicola Twilley | TED

Overview

Nicola Twilley explores the transformative impact of refrigeration on global food systems, highlighting its benefits and hidden costs. She delves into the environmental consequences of the cold chain, its role in food waste, and emerging technologies that could revolutionize food preservation while reducing emissions.

Notable Quotes

- Cooling the artificial cryosphere is melting the natural one. – Nicola Twilley, on the environmental trade-offs of refrigeration.

- Fruit and vegetables have better anti-aging tech than we do. – Nicola Twilley, illustrating the science behind refrigeration's impact on produce.

- Refrigeration moved where the waste takes place. It didn't eliminate it. – Nicola Twilley, on the unintended consequences of the cold chain.

❄️ The Cold Chain: A Global Artificial Cryosphere

- Refrigeration underpins the cold chain, a vast network of warehouses, trucks, and containers that keeps food fresh and connects farms to tables worldwide.

- Twilley compares the cold chain to a new Arctic, noting its rapid expansion as developing countries adopt refrigeration.

- The cold chain enables global trade in perishable goods, such as Kenyan avocados, which have become a major export commodity.

🥑 Refrigeration's Impact on Food Systems

- Refrigeration extends the shelf life of produce like avocados, allowing them to travel thousands of miles and reach markets far from their origin.

- However, refrigeration favors crops that can withstand cold storage, sidelining fruits like marula that don't refrigerate well.

- Large-scale refrigeration infrastructure is often controlled by multinational corporations, limiting benefits for smallholder farmers.

🌍 Environmental Costs of Refrigeration

- Refrigeration accounts for 2.5-3% of global emissions, comparable to aviation, and is set to grow as the cold chain expands.

- Twilley warns that building a US-style cold chain globally could multiply emissions fivefold, equaling the entire US's emissions.

- The cold chain reduces food waste at the production stage but shifts waste to consumers, with 30% of food in US markets still being discarded.

🔬 Innovations in Food Preservation

- Emerging technologies offer alternatives to refrigeration, such as:

- Edible fat-based coatings that keep produce fresh at room temperature.

- Supercritical carbon dioxide processes that preserve meat for months without refrigeration.

- Drone delivery systems that bypass refrigerated trucks and supermarket shelves.

- Twilley advocates for smaller, more sustainable fridges and redesigned homes to store food in optimal conditions.

🚀 Rethinking Refrigeration for the Future

- Twilley calls for a shift in perspective, using refrigeration selectively and exploring innovative preservation methods.

- Developing countries have the opportunity to leapfrog traditional cold chain systems, adopting greener technologies.

- By reimagining refrigeration, we can address food system challenges, reduce emissions, and improve sustainability.