It would be convenient to tip every last scrap into the FC50 and be done with it. The good news is that it handles most everyday kitchen waste comfortably. A few things are still best left out, though — and knowing which is the easiest way to keep the unit running smoothly and lasting well.

What you can put in

The FC50 is designed for everyday food waste. Most of what comes off a chopping board or plate is fine:

Fruit scraps — peels, cores and pulp, including citrus. Remove any pits or large seeds first.
Vegetable scraps — raw or cooked, peelings, stalks and wilted bits.
Meat and fish — raw and cooked, without bones.
Coffee grounds and beans — used or unused; biodegradable filters too.
Tea leaves — loose or in bags, as long as the bags are not plastic-based.
Eggshells — crushed or whole.
Bread, grains and cereal — cooked or stale.
Cooked leftovers — rice, pasta, stews and small portions of meals. Drain off any liquid first.
Soft plant trimmings — leaves, herbs, flower petals.

As a rule of thumb, if it came from your kitchen and is not hard, especially tough, oily or wet, the FC50 can usually handle it.

What to leave out

The FC50 is capable, but a few materials can strain it, wear it, or shorten its life. It is best to keep these out:

Bones — all of them. Meat, poultry and fish bones are hard enough to strain and damage the grinding mechanism. Debone meat and fish before they go in; bones belong in the general waste or your council's FOGO bin, depending on local guidance.
Fruit pits and hard seeds — avocado, mango, peach and other stone fruit pits, and hard nut shells. Like bones, these put real stress on the grinding tools.
Very tough, fibrous materials — corn husks, pineapple cores, bamboo peels. These are stringy and can wrap around the grinding mechanism.
Hard seafood shells — crab, lobster and oyster shells.
Very fatty cuts and skin — duck skin, pork belly offcuts. A high fat content leads to greasy build-up inside the unit.
Hot or used cooking oil — do not pour oil in. It coats the interior and can clog parts.
Very sticky foods — rice cakes, large amounts of melted cheese, sticky desserts. These can clump and make cleaning difficult.
Soups and watery stews — excess liquid affects the cycle. Drain wet items first.
Anything that isn't food — plastic, metal, glass, rubber bands, twist ties or packaging. Food waste only.

Why it matters

The wrong contents can do more than make a mess. Hard items like bones and pits strain the grinding mechanism, and over time the wrong materials can wear the tools, affect the inner coating, or interrupt a cycle. Treating the FC50 as you would any good kitchen appliance — feeding it the right things, in reasonable amounts — is what keeps it working well.

A few simple habits

When in doubt, cut larger scraps into smaller pieces; it helps the cycle along.
Debone meat and fish as part of prep — it takes a moment at the board and protects the machine.
Avoid overloading the bucket — work to its 3L capacity rather than past it.
Keep things running cleanly with regular filter checks and an occasional wipe-down of the bucket.

Used with a little care, the FC50 turns most of your everyday scraps into dry PlantMix — a quiet first step in returning food to the soil. From prep to soil.