The third edition of the Eco City Waste Fest, organised by the City of Osijek, Osijek-Baranja County, Unikom, and the Environmental Protection and Energy Efficiency Fund in cooperation with a number of partners, including the Croatian Agency for Agriculture and Food (HAPIH), took place in Osijek on 16 and 17 April.
The festival combined educational and entertainment activities designed to raise public awareness of environmental protection and responsible waste management, including the prevention of food waste. Particular attention was given to the youngest visitors, with the aim of encouraging environmentally responsible behaviour from an early age. Participants had the opportunity to take part in interactive environmental challenges, explore innovative solutions and projects, and learn about practical measures for reducing waste in their daily lives.
The festival also provided an excellent opportunity to promote the Safe2Eat campaign led by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which HAPIH has supported as the national ambassador for six consecutive years. As reducing food waste is one of the campaign’s key topics, the festival offered an ideal platform to raise consumer awareness and share practical advice on preventing food waste in everyday life.
As part of the campaign’s promotional activities, HAPIH organised an educational workshop for children, where participants learned about proper and responsible food handling through interactive games. One of the activities encouraged children to sort different food items according to their required storage conditions, helping them understand how to store food correctly based on its perishability and thereby reduce food waste.
In addition, the children learned about the difference between the “Use by” and “Best before” date labels and how to safely handle food after the expiration date. They concluded the workshop by testing their newly acquired knowledge in a short food safety quiz.
The festival programme also featured a live cooking show with chef Tomislav Đukić, joined by Barbara Lendić from HAPIH’s Centre for Food Safety. Through practical demonstrations and culinary advice, they highlighted the importance of safe food handling and shared simple tips for reducing food waste in households.
It was highlighted how simple everyday habits, such as planning meals and making a shopping list, storing food correctly, and following good cooking and hygiene practices, can both reduce the risk of foodborne diseases and significantly decrease the amount of food waste generated in households.
