At one point, the Trust was having to throw away almost a quarter of all the food it served but since the introduction of a new system based on steaming its meals, and patients choosing from a menu the day before, the rate of wastage has halved, to around 11%.
The advantage is that almostall the members of the colony can direct their energies towards foraging for food in order for the whole community to survive, rather than indulging in physically exhausting mating and reproductive behaviour.