More of the Plant Should Become Food

2025.02.24

Can what’s left on the field become ingredients for new foods? Yes, with a more resource-efficient approach, a larger portion of the plant can be utilized directly at the field level and transformed into innovative food products. This shift would minimize waste, and make the food supply chain more sustainable while creating new business opportunities.

This is what broccoli looks like in the field. Its nutrient-rich leaves make up half of the plant's biomass. The broccoli florets sold in stores account for only 16% of the plant.

A significant share of the vegetables grown in Sweden never make it to our plates. Beyond food waste in households, stores, and transportation, large volumes are lost already in the fields. Parts of various crops – such as broccoli and kale leaves – are not harvested and turned into food, despite being nutrient-rich and fully edible.

In other countries, broccoli leaves are considered a valuable part of the vegetable aisle, while in Sweden, they are often regarded as a by-product or sidestream.

Why is that? The simple answer is lack of demand. There is no established infrastructure for utilizing broccoli leaves because no one has been asking for them or is willing to pay for them – and how could they, when they don’t even know they exist? These insights are key to understanding how we can better utilize what is already being grown today.

In the Whole Plant project, Axfoundation collaborates with partners across the entire value chain to utilize side streams and by-products that originate directly in the field. The project has focused on unused side streams from Swedish broccoli production, developing new ingredient solutions to ensure that more of the plant reaches consumers.

In the pilot phase, the focus has been on broccoli, particularly its leaves, which make up 50% of the plant’s biomass. In contrast, the broccoli floret – the part typically sold in stores – accounts for just 16% of the plant. By utilizing more of the plant, the project aims to reduce waste and increase resource efficiency in Swedish vegetable farming.

Method Developed for Chopping and Freezing Broccoli Leaves

A key objective of the Whole Plant project is to develop a method for utilizing this underused resource in a way that is accessible to the food industry while also appealing to consumers.

An early result of the project is the development of a simple and cost-effective method for processing broccoli leaves post-harvest. The process involves washing, chopping, blanching, and freezing the leaves, making them easier to integrate into food production. The project is also exploring how the leaves can be used in other food applications, such as vegetarian patties or soups.

Veronica Öhrvik, Project Manager for Future Food at Axfoundation, sees significant opportunities with the Whole Plant project:

– By utilizing a larger portion of the plant, we can not only double the harvest but also reduce our reliance on imports and strengthen food security. It’s an obvious solution that benefits both the environment and public health, says Veronica Öhrvik, Project Manager, Future Food, Axfoundation

Research from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) shows that broccoli leaves are rich in fiber, vitamin C, and vitamin K. Additionally, studies have confirmed that the leaves can be harvested alongside the broccoli florets, requiring only a small additional labor effort.

Instead of letting the leaves fall to the ground and be plowed back into the soil, they can be collected in crates, making the harvesting process slightly more time-consuming but without increasing cultivation-related costs.

By utilizing more of the plant, this approach contributes to a more sustainable production system, ensuring that the resources invested in growing broccoli – such as water, fertilizer, and energy – are fully utilized for food production rather than partially wasted.

Jonas Jönsson, vegetable advisor at Hushållningssällskapet Skåne

Quality Standards Prevent Full Utilization of Resources

For broccoli leaves and other underutilized vegetable parts, the primary challenge is the lack of an established market in Sweden. However, food waste at the primary production level is also a complex issue, influenced by strict quality standards and norms within the food supply chain.

Many farmers choose not to harvest certain crops or parts of their fields if, for example, the leaves are slightly damaged or have minor insect marks. The reason? Entire pallets of produce risk being rejected later in the supply chain if the vegetables don’t meet market standards – a costly consequence for individual producers.

Jonas Jönsson, vegetable advisor at Hushållningssällskapet Skåne, explains the challenge:

– Many farmers are simply afraid to take the risk of harvesting products that might be rejected by buyers. If they are turned down a couple of times, they risk getting a reputation for being unreliable suppliers, which can hurt their business in the long run. That’s why many choose to leave crops that don’t meet aesthetic standards in the field, even though they are perfectly edible, says Jonas Jönsson.

Since there are no clear guidelines on what constitutes acceptable quality, unwritten rules dominate the food supply chain, where visual perfection determines which vegetables are selected. At every stage of the processing chain, quality requirements become increasingly strict, leading farmers to avoid harvesting crops that might not meet high aesthetic standards.

Once in stores, consumer behavior reinforces this trend – people instinctively choose the best-looking produce, avoiding brown bananas or spotted tomatoes. This consumer preference for flawless vegetables directly influences what farmers decide to harvest and sell, creating a cycle of avoidable food waste.

Profitable Solutions Through Broad Collaborations

To reduce food losses at the primary production level, solutions are needed that make it profitable to utilize the entire harvest and find viable markets for all produce. One successful example is the method developed for utilizing broccoli leaves, created by Axfoundation in collaboration with industry partners. This initiative engages the entire value chain, ensuring that more of the plant reaches consumers instead of being left in the field.

– We need to think bigger and create more applications for these raw materials. If we could establish a stable market for products of different quality levels, we could drastically reduce food waste while increasing profitability for producers, says Jonas Jönsson at Hushållningssällskapet Skåne.

Since changing consumer behavior is difficult and takes time, one effective way forward could be to develop products where visual imperfections don’t matter. By combining innovation with a more resource-efficient mindset, food losses can be reduced at the field level, contributing to a more sustainable food system.

Learn more about The Whole Plant – More Yield, More Food