Food Loss and Food Waste, Causes and Solutions

Integrating food loss and waste reduction policies with global dietary shifts: an economic modelling study.

Food waste and loss is a current issue of global concern due to its significant effect on the country’s food security. Despite the importance of food service industry on the control of food waste, yet the magnitude of waste and food loss in each stage of the value chain is not clear. This study intended to explore the extent of food loss and waste, and dominant factors for the food loss and waste along the value chain. A well-structured questionnaires and interview guide questions were used to collect primary data from customers (n = 80), and working staff at restaurants/canteen n = 20). Quantitative and qualitative methods of data analysis were employed in the analysis whereby Structural Equation Modeling technique through Confirmatory Factor Analysis was employed to establish the dominant factors for the food loss and waste at each stage in the value chain. The findings revealed that the main kinds of food loss and wastes generated at different stages includes beans, rice, vegetables, food remains e.g., ugali and left outs, meat, fish, bananas and tomato such that rice and beans losses are dominant i.e., rated at 73%. Also, more food loss and waste occur at the production stage mainly during harvesting. The main causes of food loss and waste in the value chain are mostly lack of post-harvest and food preservation technology, customers’ and working staff ignorance, poor hygienic storage and preservation facilities. With this positive foundation, the study recommends future research to determine customers’ perceptions and behavioral patterns regarding food loss and waste along the value chain.

Reducing our waste size

The global food system has three recognized challenges: (a) increasing the availability of food for consumption; (b) reducing food loss; and (c) reducing food waste. The increasing demand for food for consumption, the increasing quantity of food loss, and the corresponding increase in food waste are resulting in serious health, aesthetic, social, economic, and environmental problems due to a lack of appropriate planning and management. Despite its importance, there is no clear, concise, and comprehensive definition of food consumption, loss, and waste. Generally, food consumption, food loss, and food waste are dealt with separately. This article presents a logically constructed ontological framework of food consumption, loss, and waste. It gives equal importance to all three aspects of global food management. The systemic ontological framework is general, and the analysis can be applied to any country. The framework deconstructs the combinatorial complexity of the problem and explicates the pathways to manage the consumption, loss, and waste. The ontological framework encapsulates 19 × 11 × 7 × 4 × 6 = 35,112 possible components of the challenge. A critical analysis based on available data using the framework will help to develop strategies to deal with the problem. It can help us to discover the gaps and to find ways to bridge the gaps. It is a novel way to conceptualize food consumption, loss, and waste together.

PurposeFood waste is one of the most challenging issues humanity is currently facing. Therefore, there has been a growing interest in the prevention of food waste because of world hunger, environmental impacts, resource scarcity and economic costs. The purpose of the study is to investigate the factors that influence food waste and the role of technology in tackling food waste in India and the Netherlands.Design/methodology/approachIn order to explore differences in food loss and waste further this study will examine a number of practices on both the production and the consumer side, in a developing country and a developed country with different culture/economic backgrounds: India and the Netherlands. The factors that influence food waste were examined with a preliminary qualitative study, which consists of semi-structured interviews, and quantitative research that comprises a survey. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in both India and the Netherlands, which consists of five interviews. The survey data was collected from 78 individuals from India and 115 individuals from the Netherlands.FindingsOne of the main findings of the research is food waste is divided into waste within agricultural production (i.e. food loss) and final household consumption (i.e. food waste). Different factors influence food loss in different stages in the supply chain. Some of these factors include wastage during processing, storage, transportation and at the market-place. New technologies can utilize food loss for new purposes, so food loss is reduced to the minimum. Food waste is mainly influenced by food passing expiry date, food that is left too long in the fridge and consumers buying too much food. In final household consumption, technologies such as digital platforms enable individuals or organizations to share and donate their food, thereby creating awareness on food waste prevention and the environmental and ethical benefits.Originality/valueThe authors examine to what extent and in which ways supporting consumers to minimize food waste can be achieved via three stages: (1) understanding and evaluating food loss and waste, (2) identifying the factors that influence food loss and waste, (3) understanding consumer behaviors to encourage food waste reduction and (4) identifying the technological impact that would reduce food waste. As such, this paper contributes to ongoing debates about food waste by looking at the role of context and culture and by exploring differences between developed and developing countries. Also, the authors advance the debate by exploring both the role of advanced technology such as blockchain and drones in both preventing loss and waste as well as non-technological mechanisms.

Мета. Метою дослідження є узагальнення причин втрат продовольства та харчових відходів, обґрунтування підходів для зменшення втрат продовольства та харчових відходів, у першу чергу для малих і середніх суб’єктів господарювання (господарств населення та дрібних фермерів), на кожному з етапів у харчовому ланцюзі та заходів у сфері політики, які сприятимуть їх реалізації. Методологія / методика / підхід. Основою дослідження є теоретичні положення та практичні рекомендації формування системи продовольчого забезпечення, наукові праці вітчизняних і зарубіжних учених щодо проблем втрат продовольства та харчових відходів. Методологічну основу дослідження становили такі методи: абстрагування та узагальнення – при формуванні висновків і рекомендацій; загально-логічний та історичний – під час вивчення доробку вітчизняних та іноземних науковців щодо скорочення втрат продовольства; логічний метод – при встановленні причин та обґрунтуванні заходів щодо запобігання втрат продовольства та харчових відходів; прямого аналізу та синтезу – при розробці пропозицій щодо необхідних ініціатив вирішення проблеми втрати продовольства та харчових відходів на кожному з етапів у харчовому ланцюзі. Результати. Узагальнено причини та заходи щодо скорочення втрат продовольства та харчових відходів; розроблено пропозиції (їх зміст та особливості щодо реалізації окремих підходів) стосовно необхідних ініціатив вирішення проблеми втрати продовольства та харчових відходів на кожному з етапів у харчовому ланцюзі; запропоновано рекомендації, які можуть прискорити реалізацію заходів, направлених на скорочення втрат продовольства та харчових відходів. Оригінальність / наукова новизна. За результатами дослідження дістали подальшого розвитку: систематизація причин втрат продовольства та харчових відходів і відповідних заходів щодо їх запобігання; рекомендації щодо скорочення втрат продовольства та харчових відходів на кожному з етапів у харчовому ланцюзі; заходи у сфері політики щодо скорочення втрат продовольства та харчових відходів. Практична цінність / значущість. Результати дослідження спрямовані на забезпечення стійкої продовольчої системи України в умовах глобалізації. Висновки та пропозиції дослідження можуть бути використані на рівні загальнодержавного, регіонального, місцевого та галузевого планування й застосування підходів щодо забезпечення продовольчої безпеки.

The article substantiates the conceptual principles of reducing food loss and food waste from the standpoint of ensuring food security and environmental sustainability. The approaches to the interpretation of the concepts of food loss and waste are summarized, the similarities and differences between them, as well as the reasons for their formation and the connection between them, are noted. The main causes of food losses and food waste, which are caused by human, technical-technological, natural-climatic, economic, market, etc., are considered. factors. It is argued that Ukraine's waging of war caused the deterioration of food security both at the local and national levels, and at the international level. The main factors that lead to the loss of agri-food in the supply chain during wartime and the decrease in its production volumes are systematized, which will negatively affect the provision of food security in the country and the formation of export potential at the level of previous years. The dynamics of losses in terms of individual types of products were analyzed and it was established that the highest losses are observed for potatoes - 18.1 %, vegetables and melons - 12.0 %, fruits and vegetables - 10.0 %, and for livestock products this indicator is not significant It was found that the greatest losses of crop products occur at the stage of growing and harvesting, the value of which varies from 3 to 12 %, as well as sales. In dairy and meat breeding, the greatest losses occur at the stage of livestock breeding, milking and primary processing of products, as well as due to the lack of a full production cycle. It is estimated that the amount of food waste in Ukraine in households is 76 kg per capita, which is almost equal to the indicators of most countries, but the values are higher in the catering sector - 28 kg and retail trade - 16 kg. It was concluded that there is a need to develop effective measures to reduce food waste and losses in order to increase the sustainability and competitiveness of agri-food supply chains. It is substantiated that the conceptual principles of the need to reduce food losses and food waste should be considered in the aspect of ensuring food security and minimizing the negative impact on the environment. Among the priority directions for solving the problem of food losses and waste, the following are highlighted: development of a comprehensive program for the preservation and restoration of agricultural production in the conditions of martial law; development and improvement of market infrastructure elements; technical and technological modernization of agricultural production, processing facilities; improvement of distribution infrastructure elements, especially transportation of live animals; creation of innovative warehouse facilities; formation of a rational consumption culture among the population; development of wholesale food markets, livestock markets, development of public-private partnerships in the implementation of projects to reduce food losses and food waste; development of effective levers of state regulation in the aspect of motivation of chain participants; development of a methodical approach to estimating the amount of food losses; formation of an information array of data, etc. Key words: food loss, food waste, supply chain, food security, environmental sustainability, martial law.

More research less waste

Food waste and loss have a negative impact on the environment through water, land, energy and other natural resources that are used to produce non-consumable products. According to the results of an empirical study, to establish the degree of degradation of land resources as a result of food loss and waste, as well as to identify potential environmental benefits from reducing food loss and waste for agricultural land use. Methods: The authors’ methodological approach for assessing the impact of food loss and waste on the degradation of land resources is based on the following principles: objectives, unity, systemacity, scientific knowledge, and maximum informativeness. In accordance with the purpose of the study and the above principles, there has been developed an appropriate system of indicators. The methodology proposed by FAO in Ukraine is used to calculate the food loss and waste. The obtained results are of great importance in the formation of food security policy on the basis of sustainable land use development in Ukraine. First, it is empirically proven that zero food loss and waste on grains, potatoes, vegetables, fruits, meat and milk can significantly reduce the burden on land resources. Secondly, the reduction of food loss and waste has positive economic consequences.

Developing more nutrient‐rich, sustainable food supply chains aligns with the co‐benefits of tackling malnutrition and minimizing food loss and waste. While food waste and nutrient loss as a function of food waste and processing have separately been a topic of much previous research, nutrient loss as a function of both processing and food waste from farm to fork has not been addressed. This critical analysis was motivated by the: challenge of nourishing a growing population, the economic impact of food waste, the societal costs of malnutrition, and the overall need to extend produce shelf life sustainably. Both food and nutrient loss and waste can occur simultaneously at various levels throughout the value chain as a function of different processing methods. Combined effects of food waste and nutrient availability/losses were determined through a systematic analysis of the available peer‐reviewed research data during thermal, nonthermal, and minimal processing for tomatoes, spinach, and kidney beans. The waste and loss datasets were derived from the USDA, the FAO, and the US EPA databases. This work presents a justification for more research to reduce nutrient loss and food waste to obtain a more sustainable supply of nutrients in the food industry.Practical ApplicationsThis analysis serves as a guide for food industry stakeholders concerned with nutrient retention as a result of processing and food waste in the food value chain. It also assesses the combined impact of processing and food waste on nutrient loss from farm to fork. Available nutrient retention data as a function of retort, microwave, high pressure, aseptic and fresh processing, and food waste were employed. To our knowledge, there has not been a study on food waste as a function of processing that considers nutrient retention and loss as a function of food waste within the entire value chain. A summary of specific research needs for a holistic view on nutrient retention affecting product, process, and package conditions through the value chain was presented.

Using apple consumption in Belgium as a case study, this study examines the environmental impacts associated with Belgian (BE) and New Zealand (NZ) apples, how impacts evolve throughout the year and how packaging affects this impact. Additionally, impacts associated with food losses and food waste along the chain are assessed. The study aims to delineate the most important factors in determining environmental impacts associated with apple. The environmental impacts are calculated using the ILCD (International Reference Life Cycle Data System) approach. The functional unit is 1 kg of apples purchased by a consumer in the supermarket. Primary data was collected through players along the chain. Various scenarios are analysed for both the BE and NZ apples, based on the moment of purchase and packaging method. Food loss and waste impacts are assessed by splitting the impacts along the chain into three categories: apples lost along the supply chain, apples purchased and eaten by the consumer and apples purchased and wasted by the consumer. For all impact categories assessed, NZ apples come at a higher environmental cost than BE ones due to overseas transport. For both BE and NZ apples, minimum impacts are found for bulk apples at the beginning of the season, whereas maximum values are found for pre-packed apples at the end of the season. For BE apples, the choice of packaging method highly affects the impact, while it is negligible relative to shipping impacts for NZ apples. Altering secondary packaging materials of BE apples allows for impact reductions up to 50%. In the case of climate change, food waste and losses contribute up to 25% or 15% for BE or NZ apples, respectively, as all lost food travels in vain through the food chain and needs to be disposed of. The study shows the importance of origin and packaging, whereas the moment of purchase hardly affects the environmental impact of apples. From a supply chain perspective, there is room for improvement as altering the use of secondary packaging greatly reduces impacts along the chain. The study further highlights how impacts are magnified by food waste and losses.

Food waste has been identified as one of the major factors that constitute numerous anthropogenic activities, especially in developing countries. There is a growing problem with food waste that affects every part of the waste management system, from collection to disposal; finding long-term solutions necessitates involving all participants in the food supply chain, from farmers and manufacturers to distributors and consumers. In addition to food waste management, maintaining food sustainability and security globally is crucial so that every individual, household, and nation can always get food. “End hunger, achieve food security and enhanced nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture” are among the main challenges of global sustainable development (SDG) goal 2. Therefore, sustainable food waste management technology is needed. Recent attention has been focused on global food loss and waste. One-third of food produced for human use is wasted every year. Source reduction (i.e., limiting food losses and waste) and contemporary treatment technologies appear to be the most promising strategy for converting food waste into safe, nutritious, value-added feed products and achieving sustainability. Food waste is also employed in industrial processes for the production of biofuels or biopolymers. Biofuels mitigate the detrimental effects of fossil fuels. Identifying crop-producing zones, bioenergy cultivars, and management practices will enhance the natural environment and sustainable biochemical process. Traditional food waste reduction strategies are ineffective in lowering GHG emissions and food waste treatment. The main contribution of this study is an inventory of the theoretical and practical methods of prevention and minimization of food waste and losses. It identifies the trade-offs for food safety, sustainability, and security. Moreover, it investigates the impact of COVID-19 on food waste behavior.

One of the challenges in food security is the high amount of food loss and food waste. Reducing food loss and food waste in half along the food chain is part of the twelfth SDGs goal. Based on data from The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) in 2017, Indonesia was the second highest ranked country with an FLW of 300 kg/person/year. West Java is the province with the highest population in Indonesia and plays an important role in meeting national food needs so that sufficient food availability is required. This study aims to analyze food loss and food waste for food security in West Java. While the specific objectives of this study are to estimate the amount of food loss and strategic food waste in each food chain in West Java, and macronutrients and economic losses from FLW. This study utilizes secondary data with a quantitative descriptive analysis design. The method of calculating food loss and waste uses the formula for the estimated percentage of food loss and waste in South and Southeast Asia by the FAO. The results of this study indicate the estimated total food loss and strategic food waste in West Java in 2018 was 2,04 million tons. In addition, food loss and waste cause a loss of nutritional content such as energy of 335,61 kcal/day, protein of 9,38 grams/day and fat of 3,98 grams/day as well as economic losses of 32,89 trillion rupiah. Food loss and waste must be reduced for greater food security.

This chapter contributes to the present debate on food loss and waste. Many international and nongovernmental organizations see reducing food loss and waste as a priority for reducing global hunger and resource waste. The aim of this chapter is threefold. First, it questions whether the definition and methodology used for estimating the actual magnitude of food loss and waste is based on sound economic reasoning. Second, it investigates whether the inference concerning the potential for reducing global hunger is valid. Third, it questions whether there is a moral problem compared to wastage of some other consumer goods or the use of them for luxury reasons. The definition of food waste and loss is crucial for quantifying its magnitude – how much is wasted by humans, fed to animals, and distributed to food banks. The aggregation problem is not solved adequately. It is highly questionable to aggregate all food items independently on the content of calories in kilograms. One kilogram of bread contains fewer calories than one kilogram of meat. It is questionable to consider food as loss or waste if the cost of avoidance would be higher than the value for the reduced loss or waste. Moreover, what is the cost to the hungry population for transferring food waste?

Modelling food demand in the 21st century