Saving food through transformation

Abstract

This graduation report describes the motivation and processing that resulted in the Zesturn. The product is designed to make vegetable trimmings and leftovers, which are otherwise discarded, directly available for cooking in Dutch family households. The Zesturn facilitates this through converting vegetable scraps into powders that can be repurposed as natural flavourings. By analysing the context factors within family households, key aspects regarding habits, cooking knowledge, and attitudes towards food were identified. These insights were used to generate concepts and that ultimately resulted in the Zesturn. The final design is a device that enables vegetable scraps to be dried in a common household oven and can subsequently be ground into powdery flakes. Due to this transformation the vegetable trimmings and leftovers become more acceptable for future consumption, have extended shelf life, and can be efficiently fed back into the cooking process, reducing food waste as a welcoming consequence.