A new study found that Americans throw away  (几乎) 37 billion kilograms of food a year, and about half of all Americans do not realize that food  (浪费) is a problem in the US.

    The most common reason for throwing away food was about food  (安全). 68％of respondents said they threw away food after the package date has passed. They believe it  (减少) the chance of illness carried by food. 59％believe it is  (必要的) to throw away some food for fresh and delicious meals.

Because most respondents (考虑) throwing away food after the sell-by or use-by date, the researchers suggested, “Clean up your fridge in time and don't store food (除非) some special situations. Before you buy, always remember to (比较) the dates·"

    The study's co-authors also took actions. They are using the  (结果) of the study to develop a smart phone app to make a  (记录) of how much food is thrown away more accurately.