Overview

Restrictions during the Movement Control Order (MCO) due to COVID-19 has managed to reduce the food waste generation in Klang Valley for several months. However, the food waste amount has eventually increased back to the original trend currently.

Most developing countries have opted for landfilling system as the most convenient method in food waste treatment. However, it has released the largest fraction of greenhouse gaseous that has contributed to the aggravating climate change. Moreover, incineration is an energy intensive process which is high in capital and operating cost. Thus, a more sustainable food waste valorisation methods are essential as an urgent strategy to reduce the food waste generation.

Composting and anaerobic digestion has recently gained interest among the consumers due to the potential that it may bring. In specific, this talk discusses on various food waste valorisation methods and its potential in food waste reduction in Malaysia. The talk will eventually address on the reconfiguration of food waste management policy so that an intervention to reduce food waste generation in Malaysia can be initiated.

Speaker

Dr Muhammad Heikal bin Ismail, Senior Lecturer, Universiti Putra Malaysia

Dr Muhammad Heikal bin Ismail is a senior lecturer in the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Putra Malaysia. His research scopes include food waste valorisation, product dehydration, and 3D food printing. He has secured two international grants under UC Collaborative Fund, a collaboration with Universitas Gadjah Mada and Tokyo University of Agriculture (NODAI) for the project on food waste composting and food waste analysis.

He is the project leader of Knowledge Transfer Programme Grant, a national grant, and Selangor state government for the project on food waste composting and anaerobic digestion. He has also received two University grants on food waste composting and product humidity as the project leaders.

He aspires to be a distinguished expert in food waste and aims to extend his professional network further at the international level.

The material presented has not been peer-reviewed. Any opinions are the presenters' own and do not necessarily represent those of IChemE or the Malaysia Member Group. The information is given in good faith but without any liability on the part of IChemE.