A review on hospital food waste quantification, management and assessment strategies in the eastern Mediterranean region

Abstract

BackgroundHospital food wastage has been identified as a significant issue within the foodservice sector. Numerous studies have shed the light on the amount of food waste in hospitals, along with its financial and environmental implications. Consequently, reducing food waste in hospitals has become a priority for the foodservice management sector in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR). AimsThis review aims to examine studies on food waste in the hospitals of the EMR countries, and highlight research gaps in quantification, management, and assessment strategies in this region. MethodsPubMed and Google Scholar databases were searched between January 6 and September 1, 2023, to identify relevant articles published up to 2023 in the EMR. ResultsSix studies were included in this review. Among EMR countries, only Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar have assessed food waste at hospitals. The average food waste in the EMR represents 25.4 % of total food served. Factors contributing to food waste include clinical issues, food preferences, meal timing, and ward sections. Patient's plate waste reduce dietary intake, affects patient's nutritional status and predispose to malnutrition. While some strategies to reduce plate waste have been proposed in many countries, there is a notable lack of food and food-related waste management policies and programs in hospitals food services in the EMR. ConclusionThis review summarizes the hospital's food-related waste assessment, quantifications, and management used by hospitals in the EMR. This review is a benchmark for the EMR's hospitals to work on adopting proactive measures as a general strategy to move toward food and food-related waste reduction.