Circular economy of food waste: A literature review

Abstract

AbstractThe current linear economy, inherited from the 19th‐century industrial revolution, has reached its limit due to the depletion of natural resources. In this context, the notion of circular economy (CE) emerged, which is regenerative and restorative. It deals with the transformation of waste or garbage into other value‐added resources. This paper aims to discuss the issue of food waste from the perspective of the CE. It was evident that there is a more significant accumulation of papers published in developed countries than in developing countries on the CE of food waste. The Systematic Literature Review (SLR) raises research gaps and suggestions for future work and offers actionable inferences for practice. We found that researchers focused their studies more on the economic and environmental impacts of the CE than on the social implications in food supply chains. This paper can contribute to academics and practitioners interested in this area of study because it identifies research gaps and avenues for future studies.