Experts are tackling food waste by releasing a pumpkin ice cream recipe that uses some of the tonnes of waste created in the UK each Halloween.
The British public bins around 8 million perfectly edible pumpkins each year, according to the #PumpkinRescue campaign.
Sixty percent of the pumpkin buying public bin the vegetable’s flesh after carving.
Now food innovation experts at Abertay University in Dundee are tackling the food waste horror show with pumpkin flavoured ice cream.
Academics from the Division of Food and Drink have created the treat with a view to salvaging some of the tonnes of waste created in the UK each Halloween.
It is hoped consumers will have a stab at creating their own version of the tasty frozen treat, which is rich in Vitamin A and around 40% less sugar than regular ice cream.
Lecturer Dr Jon Wilkin said: “We’ve used every edible part of the pumpkin to create this ice cream, including the seeds, which we’ve roasted and used as a chopped nut substitute.
“While this is perhaps more on the unusual side there are plenty of ways to make the most out of your Halloween pumpkin, for example soup or risotto.
“We’re looking to highlight that there are simple and sometimes creative ways to reduce food waste in general.”
