What does food sustainability really mean? As we walk through supermarkets, we’re usually looking for our favorite food and culinary inspirations. Food sustainability isn’t often at the forefront of our minds. Our decisions are purely based on convenience, taste and price. Even for those of us who wish to live more planet-friendly lives. Having a better understanding of what makes food sustainable could help us all make more informed decisions. It would allow us to weigh up products and brands more easily. The trouble is, sustainability has become a bit of a buzzword recently. One that is used, and often abused in many different contexts. It’s a hugely important concept but one that has started to lose its true meaning.
“IT’S NOT JUST
ABOUT THE FOOD.”
Sustainable food
isn’t only about the food itself. It’s a combination of factors including how
food is produced, how it’s distributed, how it’s packaged and how it’s
consumed.
There is a stigma
about hydroponic crops having little flavor or are “watered down”, but this is
no longer the case. The truth is that crops grown in a local hydroponic
vertical farm are, in fact, better in taste and safer than the food you find
farmed otherwise. This is due to the total control that you have over the
nutrients that your plants receive. But are hydroponic nutrients safe for the
environment and for the plants themselves? The simple answer is yes, as long as
you use the appropriate nutrients and understand how to properly dispose of
them.
On the cooking end
of the use of hydroponic vegetables, these cultivated produce is starting to
make its way into kitchens all over the world. The benefits of switching to
vegetables grown hydroponically is that it is nutrition packed, hydroponic vegetables
are often more nutrient-dense than soil grown vegetables. Its pesticide free and
free from soil contamination. These vegetables are resilient hence they are
able to stay fresher for longer making it good for the environment. The process
of cultivating these crops are fun and rewarding as it never stops giving. The
flavor profiles of each crop is particularly enhanced as compared to regular
soil grown crops. This makes hydroponic plants have better flavors to make any
dish taste, smell and look fresh and healthy at the same time. Because it is
grown in controlled environments, hydroponic plants tend to be more fragile as
compared to their counter parts. Hence cooking time is reduced exponentially
making it environmentally friendly as carbon emissions are reduced.
Application of
hydroponic vegetables in classes is another way of promoting the benefits of
its uses. In MAHSA University, the School of Biosciences has setup a research
lab on hydroponic farming and has been able to produce a number of crops which are
clean. Through research it has been found that hydroponic vegetables grow
fresher and stronger as opposed to regular farming. By having these facilities,
students can be educated on the food supply chain. They have the exposure to
understand the difference between traditional farming and hydroponic farming.
This inspires students to value transparency and seek information about their
foods origin. Students get the chance to harvest the vegetables and cook the
produce to be served as healthier, fresher dishes. One of the most obvious
characteristics of using hydroponic vegetables in cooking is that it is tastier
and look fresher as compared to regular store bought vegetables. With the
collaboration of the School of Hospitality Management, in food production practical
classes students found that hydroponic vegetables has reduced the cooking time
of dishes. This is because hydroponic vegetables tend to have very brittle
molecular strains, making it cook faster. As compared to regular store bought
vegetables the cooking time is longer as the fiber content within the plant is
greater and requires longer exposure to heat in order to break down. For
example, we harvested a batch of red spinach to be used in the kitchen
practical class and found that when cooking, the leaves did not ‘bleed’ out its
red coloration as compared to regular red spinach. The leaves were able to
retain its natural colors to give the dish a vibrant and fresher look. Students
experienced the difference of cooking with hydroponic vegetables and regular
farmed vegetables. With this exposure, students grow to appreciate cooking with
clean and nutrient filled vegetables. This encourages the growth of sustainable
produce among young leaders of the industry opening endless possibilities to a
more cost effective and sustainable way of cooking.
Words by: Chef Alexander Walter Gnanam