Food waste must be comminuted - say what???
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (388005)
Rockingham, Australia
July 18, 2026 2:45am CST
The photo is another from the training sailing ship Leeuwin which is docked in Fremantle Harbour in Western Australia. In the kitchen was a notice regarding the disposal of various waste materials. The rules apply only when the ship is en route and discharge should be as far as practicable from the nearest land.
I came across a new word regarding food waste. It has to be ‘comminuted’ which means ‘reduced to minute particles or fragments’. Ever heard of that before? Another entry said that animal carcasses should be disposed of as far from the nearest land as possible.
Other than that, the notice wasn’t particularly interesting so I’ve used a photo I took in the kitchen. Look at that lovely big jar of Vegemite!
23 people like this
22 responses
@LadyDuck (509237)
• Italy
18 Jul
We do not use that word, I suppose it comes from Latin comminutus, "to break into smaller parts".
About Vegemite I have the same opinion as @DaddyEvil 
6 people like this
@DaddyEvil (178231)
• United States
18 Jul
No, I didn't recognize the word and was hoping you'd give a definition for it. Thank you. I'm sure it won't be something I use in my normal, everyday speech. 
I wonder if sailors carried around dictionaries with them everywhere they went? 
I can't imagine that's a common, everyday word for anyone.
Edit to add: I tried a bite of Vegemite once. 
I wonder if sailors carried around dictionaries with them everywhere they went? I can't imagine that's a common, everyday word for anyone.
Edit to add: I tried a bite of Vegemite once. 4 people like this
@DaddyEvil (178231)
• United States
19 Jul
@JudyEv Did you ever read the novels by Sir Terry Pratchett? He wrote a series about magic with observations from real life in them... In his book, The Last Continent, the main character ends up lost in Australia and tried Vegemite... And gave a remarkably accurate description until he tried it again because there was nothing else to eat... And claimed the flavor grew on you. 
I wasn't silly enough or starving so never tried it a second time. 
I wasn't silly enough or starving so never tried it a second time. 1 person likes this
@JudyEv (388005)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 Jul
@DaddyEvil I haven't read his books. Those genres don't really gel with me.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (100746)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
18 Jul
I never have to waste any food it goes to the possums at night and to the feral cats out here who come up to my porch,
3 people like this
@moffittjc (129650)
• Gainesville, Florida
18 Jul
Forget the Vegemite, I had my eyes on that bottle of Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce!
3 people like this
@GardenGerty (170531)
• United States
18 Jul
I saw the word "minute" in it and figured it had to do with making things smaller. I would be willing to try some Vegemite. It might be something that would grow on me.
2 people like this
@vandana7 (102807)
• India
19 Jul
One of the major hurdle in starting animal farm. LOL. For a long time I debated 1/3rd land for housing, 1/3rd for generating cash for establishment, and balance for generating cash for fresh investment. Somehow the jigsaw puzzle doesn't seem to fit, still studying many possible crops the combination whereof may give me the right mix for self sustaining charity for animals.
Carcasses will be a concern.
Coming to food, I tend to give food to house helps. I don't need two, but the old lady needs the job, and so...she is on board till I complete some major assignments. We do eat leftovers. So, not much to discard in our home.
2 people like this
@crossbones27 (53819)
• Mojave, California
18 Jul
Australians funny about their Vegemite.
2 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (140311)
• Marion, Ohio
19 Jul
@JudyEv That may have been a common word at one time
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61643)
• United States
20 Jul
Not a word I recognize. I have never developed a taste for vegemite but I suspect it is cultural thing. I have tried it and noooo not for me lol
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61643)
• United States
20 Jul
@JudyEv I do believe that your taste buds change as you age.
1 person likes this
@BACONSTRIPSXXX (18961)
• Torrington, Connecticut
20 Jul
The waste disposal rules are fascinating too. It really shows how carefully ships have to manage what can and can't be discharged at sea, especially with today's environmental regulations.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (46505)
• Denver, Colorado
18 Jul
Nope, that's a totally new word for me!
2 people like this
@porwest (113640)
• United States
18 Jul
I do wonder if the rules have changed a bit over the years. When I was in the navy, we had to be in "international waters," which was determined to be three miles out at sea offshore. We dumped entire bags of trash into the water. I never liked the practice. But that's what we did.
1 person likes this
