American households are the largest contributor to food waste in the nation, representing 40% of the staggering 120 billion pounds of food wasted each year. New research from the Michigan State University (MSU) School of Packaging sheds light on how consumers’ understanding of packaging technology may help combat this growing problem.

Minding the Gap: Consumer Awareness of Packaging & Food Waste Reduction, a new white paper summarizing MSU’s research, offers key insights into types of wasted food, package design strategies, and opportunities to better educate consumers about the features and value of packaging to help them reduce food waste in the home.