Millions of tons of food are being wasted, costing the country billions while an estimated 11million citizens are not having regular meals. Suzan Oelofse, a researcher at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, said: "Our latest estimates are that total food waste is 10 million tons per annum (including exports and imports) costing South Africa R61.5-billion or 2.1% of GDP."But, she said, no retailer admitted to throwing out their food.Oelofse said: "No one wants to admit to wasting food."Food Bank South Africa's Kate Hamilton said the registered non-profit organisation deals with the food wastage of various retailers including Pick n Pay, Fruit and Veg City, Shoprite, Makro and Cambridge Foods. It "collects edible food from manufacturers and retailers, and ensures that this food is redistributed to help feed thousands of hungry people every day".Added Hamilton: "In the last financial year, we distributed 12000t of food to 70446 people."Woolworths spokesman Babongile Dlamini said: "In the last financial year, we have donated food worth over R424-million to needy causes."Doppio Zero's marketing co-ordinator Tarryn Nash said: "We have set up various soup kitchen and feeding programmes via various underprivileged schools in the communities surrounding each of our restaurants."The Real Junk Food Project, an initiative to distribute food past its sell-by date to the needy, will launch in Cape Town by December.Project director Ali Conn said they are very strict about only taking food that's still edible and has not reached a stage of decay.A collaborative effort between catering professionals and activists, the system operates on a "strictly pay-as-you-feel policy".Conn said this is "an alternative to the conventional payment system as there is no price on any produce of the café".If sent to landfills, food waste produces methane, an environment-damaging gas...