Assessing nutritional and economic aspects of food loss and waste in China

Abstract

Food loss and waste (FLW) has been identified as a significant impediment to achieving Sustainable Development Goals. Addressing FLW requires comprehensive data to adequately prioritize FLW reduction and evaluate the effectiveness of supply chain interventions. However, the nutritional and economic losses associated with FLW in China are poorly understood. We used multiple indicators to assess FLW in China from nutritional and economic perspectives and conducted a scenario analysis of the benefits of its reduction. The national annual per capita FLW contains sufficient nutrients to provide one person with 66.2 days of a nutritious diet. Daily losses of vitamin K, copper, and vitamin C are particularly high, accounting for more than 74 % of the dietary reference intake (DRI). The economic loss caused by FLW is up to $263.55 billion ($188.48 per capita per year), with vegetables (48.7 %) causing the most losses, followed by meat (21.0 %). From a nutritional-economic perspective, vegetables are most affected by inefficiencies in the food supply chain, followed by meat, grains, and fruits. Additionally, post-harvest handling & storage and consumption are supply chain stages with the greatest potential to reduce FLW in nutritional and economic terms. The findings of this study assist in raising public awareness and supporting decision-making by providing a nutritional and economic loss analysis of FLW. Stakeholder cooperation will be essential to carry out successful policies and practices designed to reduce FLW in China.