Students initiate a green transformation in the kitchen.

At Istanbul Okan University, food waste is being converted into compost as part of the Gastronomy and Food Sustainability course. The project aims to create less waste, fewer emissions, a stronger soil, and a more conscious gastronomic culture.

The Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Department of the university has rolled up its sleeves to prove that kitchen waste can be a raw material for the future, not just garbage. As part of this initiative, food waste generated during the preparation and production processes of practical courses is being utilized. This waste is transformed into high-value plates, and the remainder is turned into compost (organic waste that decomposes over time and enriches the soil). The aim is to both reduce environmental impact and allow university students to experience sustainable culinary culture in real life.

Associate Professor İlkay Gök, Head of the Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Department at Istanbul Okan University, explains that food waste leads to serious environmental and economic consequences on a global scale: “According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), food waste exceeded 1.3 million tons in 2013. According to United Nations (UN) data, food waste is projected to reach 1.05 billion tons between 2022 and 2024. According to Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) data, a total of 18.2 million tons of food was thrown away in Turkey in 2021. The annual per capita household solid waste produced in Türkiye in 2021 was 340 kilograms. According to 2016 data, food waste caused 23.7 Mt CO2 equivalent greenhouse gas emissions annually.”

Food waste accounts for 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions.

Associate Professor Dr. Gök states that food waste not only causes economic losses but also increases the carbon footprint by leading to significant greenhouse gas emissions during production, processing, transportation, and disposal processes. “Resources such as fertilizers, water, energy, and labor used in agricultural production are wasted when products are discarded. The carbon emissions generated during the use of these resources constitute greenhouse gas emissions. Food loss and waste account for approximately 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Organic waste sent to landfills poses a major threat in terms of global warming potential.”

Associate Professor Dr. Gök states that, according to FAO data, approximately 3.3 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalent greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere annually due to food waste, and emphasizes that reducing food waste is of strategic importance in terms of lowering the carbon footprint: “Food waste that goes to landfills decomposes rapidly in an oxygen-free environment, releasing methane. Methane is 28 times more potent a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. In other words, food consumes water, soil, labor, and energy before it reaches your plate.”

"Composting, however, reverses this story," he says. Associate Professor Dr. İlkay Gök states that waste is transformed into soil nutrients, reducing organic matter going to landfills, cutting off methane formation, and increasing the soil's carbon sequestration capacity. At Istanbul Okan University's Gastronomy and Culinary Arts Department, as part of sustainable campus initiatives, organic waste such as vegetable and fruit peels, coffee grounds, and eggshells generated in gastronomy kitchens are collected in compost bins. These are then returned to the soil in a composting area with an appropriate carbon-nitrogen balance. The resulting compost is used in green spaces within the campus. In this way, waste is returned to the soil through a controlled process.

Associate Professor Dr. Gök says, "The zero-waste kitchen approach not only reduces food waste but also alleviates the environmental burden by lowering energy and water consumption."

"We want to make composting a natural part of culinary culture."

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gök stated, “Within the scope of the Sustainability in Food and Gastronomy and Field-to-Table Agricultural Practices courses, we are following the composting process in the field with our students, learning and applying all the steps from separation to transformation. Our aim is to transform composting from a theoretical concept into a natural part of culinary culture. Because composting is good for both the planet and the business. Today's students are tomorrow's chefs, business owners, and food entrepreneurs. They not only protect the environment; they also improve the quality of work, cost efficiency, and the reputation of the sector.”

"For them to develop a sustainability mindset is not only an environmental gain, but also an ethical responsibility towards the future of the sector," he summarizes the benefit of the study.

Agricultural Practices from Field to Table Course and a Sustainable Campus

Istanbul Okan University's Department of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts has another project within its green campus initiative. At the Istanbul Okan University Tuzla Campus, in the "Agricultural Practices from Field to Table" course, students plant fruits and vegetables in a gastronomy field. They then prepare meals using the fruits and vegetables they cultivate. The course covers organic farming, fruit and vegetable cultivation, and soil characteristics. Students learn about the importance of agriculture for a sustainable life through practical application.