The items food pantries want you to stop donating – the-independent.com

Report on U.S. Food Insecurity and Sustainable Donation Practices

The Challenge to Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger

Food insecurity represents a significant challenge to the United States’ progress toward Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG 2), which aims to end hunger and ensure access to safe, nutritious food. The issue is widespread, driven by factors including rising living costs, inadequate public infrastructure, health problems, and socioeconomic barriers that impede the realization of SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).

• Approximately 50 million Americans experience food insecurity.
• Among those affected, 13 million are children.
• Over 50 million people have sought assistance from food banks and pantries.

Recent policy changes, such as new requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), are projected to exacerbate this crisis, further distancing the nation from its SDG 2 targets. Joel Berg, CEO of Hunger Free America, noted, “There’s no question this is going to create more harm and suffering and hunger.”

Aligning Food Donations with Sustainable Development Goals

Public donations are critical for food banks, but their effectiveness is contingent on aligning with principles of food safety and nutritional value, which are central to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). To maximize positive impact, donations must adhere to specific guidelines.

Donation Guidelines to Uphold Health and Safety (SDG 3)

Certain items are unsuitable for donation as they pose health and safety risks, undermining the objectives of SDG 3. Donors should avoid contributing the following:

1. Perishable Items:
   • Items requiring refrigeration, such as dairy and fresh produce, cannot be accepted due to a lack of storage capacity and the risk of spoilage.
   • Leftovers and items from personal kitchens are prohibited as their ingredients and preparation cannot be verified for safety.
   • Food banks often establish partnerships with retailers and farms to source fresh items, a practice that supports SDG 12.
2. Expired Food:
   • All items must be within their “use by” or “sell by” dates to ensure food safety and quality.
   • According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, home-canned goods should be used within one year, while commercially canned goods have a shelf life of 18 months to five years, depending on acidity.
3. Food with Packaging Concerns:
   • Items in glass containers are discouraged due to the risk of shattering.
   • Dented, leaking, or bulging cans must be avoided as they present a risk of botulism, a severe illness that can cause paralysis and death. The USDA warns that even a minuscule amount of the botulinum toxin can be fatal.

Recommended Donations to Support SDG 2

To effectively contribute to the goal of Zero Hunger, donors should focus on providing shelf-stable, nutritious foods that are easy to store and distribute. Recommended items include:

• Canned beans
• Nut butters
• Canned proteins (e.g., tuna, chicken)
• Low-sodium canned vegetables

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 2: Zero Hunger – This is the most prominent SDG addressed. The article’s central theme is hunger and food insecurity in the U.S., discussing the millions of people who face it daily and rely on food banks.
• SDG 1: No Poverty – The article connects hunger to underlying economic issues, mentioning “increasing living costs” and “socioeconomic barriers to access” as root causes. It also discusses the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a social protection system aimed at alleviating poverty and its consequences.
• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being – The article touches upon this goal by emphasizing the importance of food safety. It provides detailed warnings about the health risks associated with perishable, expired, or improperly packaged food donations, such as the danger of botulism from dented cans, which can lead to severe illness and death.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 2.1: By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round. The article directly addresses this by stating, “Nearly 50 million Americans face food insecurity on a daily basis, some 13 million of whom are children,” highlighting the challenge of ensuring access to sufficient food.
• Target 1.3: Implement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all… The article mentions the “Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP),” which is a key social protection system in the U.S. designed to help low-income individuals and families afford food. The discussion of “new requirements for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients” directly relates to the implementation and policies of this system.
• Target 3.9: By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination. While not mentioning chemicals or pollution, this target’s principle of reducing illness from contamination is relevant. The article’s detailed warnings about botulism—”a rare but serious illness caused by the toxin Clostridium botulinum that can lead to difficulty breathing, muscle paralysis, and even death”—from dented or bloated cans directly relate to preventing illness and death from food contamination.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Indicator for Target 2.1: The article provides specific data that aligns with the official indicator 2.1.2 (Prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity). It states, “Nearly 50 million Americans face food insecurity on a daily basis, some 13 million of whom are children.” This statistic serves as a direct measure of the prevalence of food insecurity.
• Indicator for Target 1.3: The number of people relying on social protection systems is an implied indicator. The article notes that “more than 50 million have turned to food banks and pantries for help” and discusses changes to SNAP. The number of SNAP recipients and the number of people using food banks can be used as indicators to measure the reach and potential gaps in social protection systems.
• Indicator for Target 3.9: The article implies the importance of monitoring food safety practices to prevent foodborne illnesses. While it does not provide statistics on botulism cases (which would align with indicator 3.9.3: Mortality rate attributed to unintentional poisoning), its emphasis on avoiding “dented or bloated cans” and other packaging concerns points to the need for public awareness and food bank protocols as measures to prevent such illnesses. The absence of such illnesses would be a key indicator of success.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: independent.co.uk