International chefs back World Refrigeration Day
16th June 2024
UK: Top chefs from around the world are backing a global campaign to raise awareness of cooling technologies that reduce food loss and promote climate security.
To celebrate World Refrigeration Day on June 26, leading chefs are reminding people that cooling enables nutritional diets, helps reduce the number of undernourished and can lower greenhouse gas emissions.
The chefs are part of the Chefs4thePlanet network, which is joining with United Nations Environment Programme OzonAction and Global Food Cold Chain Council in the Cooling Keeps Food Fresh campaign. Twenty-two associations in the cooling industry and four intergovernmental agencies also support the campaign which launches on World Refrigeration Day.
“What causes malnutrition is lack of accessibility,” said Mercedes Ahumada a traditional Mexican chef. “The cold chain is a vital element for food safety. Each stage is intertwined with another, from collection to storage, packaging, warehousing, transport to point of sale, and storage at point of consumption.”
Gregory Cohen, a chef of French cuisine, added: “With the fridge, we have food that can be kept longer with the same freshness. We can transport food from one place to another without risk of deterioration. Nowadays, there is good technology to keep food fresher with less impact on the environment.”
The Cooling Keeps Food Fresh campaign kicks off with short video messages delivered by the chefs in social media. The chefs also share recipes which depend on cooling for their preparation on the campaign website.
