According to FAO (2012), there are percapita lost and wasted food at consumption and production stage in South and South East Asia, respectively as much as 17.5 kg/year and 7.5 kg/year.  Meanwhile, the research of Nengsih (2002) reported that in 2020, organic waste produced by consumers in Indonesia will be at more than 500  million kg/year across Indonesian islands.

Some 65 % of food waste such as fruit, vegetables, roots, tubers, dairy products, meat and fish as well as seafood bring about the disturbances toward sustainability of land, water and biodiversity. Apparently, food disposed in landfills and decomposed anaerobically can engender methane, a greenhouse gas emission generating climate change.

To tackle those problems, there is environmentally friendly technology which is  E-CO (eco-company) specializing to produce biogas and bioethanol. There are E-COs, integrated food waste management company, have been developed in Indonesia to achieve sustainable consumption and sustainable environment. Previously, some E-COs concern in producing bio-fertilizer for agricultural crop. However, because of a demand to substitute non-renewable energy of fossil fuels, those companies endeavor to make a great breakthrough and innovation of altering food waste into biogas and bioethanol.

The E-CO utilizes food waste as organic substrate to produce biogas and focuses on maximising biogas production and minimising final product mass. Biogas produced by E-CO is composed by 50 % – 75% of methane and 25 – 48% of carbon dioxide. Outside of these gasses, it also contains H₂, N₂, O₂, and H₂S. These gasses can be produced by anaerob digestion. 

In other hand, an eco-company in Norway, Cambi, has built the new technique, namely Thermal Hydrolysis Process (THP), treating the organic matter at 138 -170?, dissolving it into an easily digestible feed for biogas production. Yet, every E-CO is able to supply the greater demand of biogas as much as 180-940 liter/kg of dry-weight depend on raw material used.

Another ECO?s product is bioethanol produced by E-COs through converting lignocellulosic food waste with combining fermentation and (Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation) SSF as the premilinary treatment. In fact, there are 5 steps to produce bio-ethanol including grinding, cooking, fermentation, distillation, and hydration. 

However, its productivity and benefitability can be improved by applying SSF in coverting food waste as pre-treatment. In other hand, the companies also attempt to implement an unique strategy in reducing CO₂ close to 100 %. Yet, the government of Indonesia has supported this endeavour to substitute fossil fuels with using cleaner fuel.

E-COs have inspired and encouraged me to carry out eco-project based research. I am not doubt that I can execute and build a miniature of E-CO although I harbor many constraints. Outside of those constraints ensuing, It will be useful alternative as we want to convert the waste food of being bioenergy from squandering of resource. That reason is also encouraged by many scientific research revealing that biogas and bioethanol are the most imperative energy needed by Indonesian people to substitute fossil fuel being scarce. So, I don?t feel utter despair over the situation.

I always endeavor to carry out the small project in my labolatory and study to research the benefits of food waste. Prior to executing it at labolatory scale, I attempt to study hard through literature study and field study as well as observation. As the result, yet, young researchers and  I have attempted to persuade the community to cooperate in developing a new E-CO - based community management. Finally, the endownment and boon come true, my young research and I succeed to develop a miniature of E-CO.