As much as half of all food produced worldwide is wasted every year due to strict expiry dates, bulk-buy offers and fussy consumers.

This is according to a new report published by the UK's Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IME), which also found up to 30 per cent of vegetables in the UK are not harvested because they do not have the perfect shape.

Dr Tim Fox, head of energy and environment at the IME, said the volume of food lost around the globe is "staggering", as it is all produce that could be used to feed millions of starving people.

"It is also an unnecessary waste of the land, water and energy resources that were used in the production, processing and distribution of this food," he added.

The research stated water also goes to waste, as farmers pour around 550 billion cubic-metres of the liquid in growing crops that never reach consumers.

Meanwhile, the United Nations has predicted that by 2075, there will be an extra three billion people to feed worldwide as the planet's population rises to 9.5 billion.