Turning Awareness into Action: The Importance of Cold Chain Integrity in Food Loss Prevention

About International Day of Awareness for Food Loss and Waste (September 29, 2025)

This Monday (September 29, 2025), marked the sixth observance of the International Day of Awareness for Food Loss and Waste. Created by the United Nations, this day shines a spotlight on one of the most urgent global challenges of our time: reducing food loss and waste.

According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), more than one in eight of all foods produced for human consumption is lost globally each year (FAO.org). Beyond the staggering financial impact, this loss contributes heavily to greenhouse gas emissions and undermines efforts to achieve food security worldwide. Much of this waste doesn’t happen at the consumer level. It occurs earlier, during harvesting, transportation, storage, and distribution. These supply chain checkpoints are critical moments where preventable errors can turn valuable goods into waste. 

The Importance of Cold Chain Integrity in Food Loss Prevention

Cold chain operations face unique pressures. The importance of cold chain integrity cannot be overstated. An improper reefer check, a fuel oversight, or a mislogged temperature reading can compromise entire truckloads of refrigerated and frozen products. Not only does this result in tens of thousands of dollars in losses per load, but it also weakens the reliability of our global food system at a time when resilience is needed most.

Awareness days like this remind us that solving food loss and waste requires a collective effort, from growers and distributors to technology providers and policymakers. 

How Technova Supports Cold Chain Integrity to Combat Food Loss Across the Supply Chain 

At Technova, we’re contributing by focusing on prevention at these critical supply chain touchpoints. Our SaaS platform integrates with existing cameras and systems to provide real-time verification and automated logging of reefer temps, reefer fuel levels, and other critical load details. By ensuring accuracy and consistency at these key checkpoints, we help operators reduce cold chain risk, protect food quality, and strengthen overall sustainability efforts. 

The International Day of Awareness for Food Loss and Waste is not only a call to reflect but a call to act. Each checkpoint, each safeguard, and each innovation brings us closer to building a food system that is not only efficient but also resilient for future generations.