Food Loss And Waste Research Articles

Profiling Citizens on Perception of Key Factors of Food Security: An Application of K-Means Cluster Analysis

Cities have been increasingly involved in the development of food policies, becoming key points in achieving food security and fostering the transition to sustainable agri-food systems. The aim of this paper is to identify citizens’ profiles by performing segmentation and profiling according to their socio-economic variables and perception of key factors affecting food security. This is to define appropriate strategies to guide policy makers in a more effective creation of urban food policies. An online survey was filled out by citizens of the Metropolitan City of Bari from July to November 2022. Descriptive analysis, principal component analysis and K-means cluster analysis were applied to the collected data. Four clusters of citizens were obtained and labelled based on socio-economic characteristics and key factors affecting food security perception. Specifically, the “Law-confident” (45% of citizens) and “Hedonist” (36%) clusters revealed the greatest trust in “governance” and “quality certification” aspects. The “Capitalist” (15%) and “Conservatory” (4%) clusters were relatively small groups, characterized respectively by a positive perception of the standardization of food production and governance power, with a focus on strategies regarding food policy implementation, reduction of food loss and waste (FLW) and improvement of food quality certifications systems. The proposed approach and results may support EU policy makers in identifying key macro-areas and matters toward which to direct public funding in order to improve food security in urban areas, and to put in place actions enhancing citizens’ knowledge and awareness of key issues of food security.

Food losses, food waste, and beyond in food supply chains: Retaining optimum nutrient density

Abstract“Food systems” as a concept draws upon systems thinking and facilitates a transdisciplinary approach to address the complexity of delivering the Sustainable Development Goals in developed and developing food regimes. Extant literature has used a food supply chain/systems approach to evaluate sources of food loss and waste (FLW) and their impact on food accessibility and therefore nutrient availability. The maximization of nutrients available to a growing global population is a critical aspect in the sustainable agenda and it is acknowledged that the continued augmentation of food produce is no longer the sole solution. However, there is a drive for greater efficiency, not simply in the resources deployed, but in the utilization of the food produced. This paper argues that FLW are not the only sources of nutrient loss within a supply chain and that there is a loss of nutrient density as the food progresses through the supply chain with the deterioration of nutrients in food within the food supply chain. It is argued here that in parallel to the management of loss and waste, there is a further need for a research agenda to explore the reality of loss of nutrient density holistically as it passes from farm to fork, building on the existing scientific research at each tier within the supply chain.

Trade-Off Analyses of Food Loss and Waste Reduction and Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Food Supply Chains

Food losses and waste (FLW) reduction and mitigating climate impact in food chains are priorities in achieving sustainable development goals. However, many FLW-reducing interventions induce additional greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, for example, from energy, fuel, or packaging. The net effect of such interventions (expressed in GHG emissions per unit of food available for consumption) is not obvious, as is illustrated in a number of case studies. We recommend that in the decision to take on FLW-reducing interventions, the trade-offs on sustainability impacts (such as GHG emissions) are taken into consideration. Since FLW induce demand and extra operations in all stages along a supply chain, adequate representation of cumulative GHG emissions along the production and supply chain, including ‘hidden parts’ of the chain, is required, which is challenging in full LCA studies. As a workaround, the case studies in this paper are based on a generic tool, the Agro-Chain greenhouse gas Emission (ACE) calculator that includes metrics and data for common food product categories and supply chain typologies. The calculator represents the structure of a generic (fresh food) supply chain and offers data sets for, amongst others, crop GHG emission factors and FLW in different stages of the production and distribution chain. Through scenario calculations with different chain parameters (describing pre and post-intervention scenarios), the net effects of an intervention on GHG emissions and FLW per unit of food sold to the consumer can be compared with little effort. In the case studies, interventions at the production stage as well as in post-harvest operations, are analyzed. Results show that post-harvest activities (especially FLW) contribute substantially to the carbon footprint of supplied food products. The FLW-reducing interventions are considered to induce additional GHG emissions. In most case studies, FLW-reducing interventions lower total GHG associated with a unit of food supplied to a client or consumer. However, in one case study, the extra emissions due to the intervention were higher than the prevented emission from lowering food losses. Consequently, in the latter case, the intervention is not an effective GHG emission reduction intervention.

Consequences of Recent Crises on the FLW Consumer Behaviour: A National Wide Representative Research-The Case of Romania.

Research on food loss and waste (FLW) is quite limited in emerging countries, such as Romania, as the phenomenon, its consequences, and implications are not yet properly understood by both policy makers and consumers. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to conduct representative research in Romania to identify the main clusters of consumers depending on their food waste behaviour. By means of cluster analysis, we highlight the main consumer typologies in Romania, regarding their food waste behaviour. The main findings reveal the presence of three distinct segments of consumer typologies based on their food waste behaviour, including low-income young wasters, conscious middle-age wasters, and well-educated mature non-wasters. This study highlights the need for targeted interventions that consider the unique characteristics and behaviours of each segment to effectively reduce FLW at the household level. Overall, this paper provides important insights for academia and for policymakers in the field of FLW management. The food loss and waste behaviour has significant economic, social, and environmental impacts, and reducing it requires a common effort from all stakeholders. Reducing food waste presents challenges, but also presents an opportunity to improve economic, social, and environmental outcomes.

How Much Food Loss and Waste Do Countries with Problems with Food Security Generate?

Worldwide, the number of people suffering from hunger is around 702 and 828 million, and 2.3 billion people have moderate or severe food insecurity. This situation is striking, considering that the vast amount of food discarded globally equals 1.3 billion tons annually. For this reason, in 2015, world leaders agreed to a global agenda for 2030, adopting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Among its objectives, are to fight against poverty, hunger, and gender inequality worldwide and achieve environmental sustainability. With this framework, this article uses a top-down mass balance approach to calculate food loss and waste (FLW) by country’s food security level. In addition, it explores the causes of FLW and its impacts on natural resources, climate change, food security, and the SDGs in countries with a weak and moderate level of food security. The estimated global FLW was 1498 million tons of food in 2017. The most food discarded was concentrated in countries with good food security, 894.3 million tons. In contrast, the lowest food discard occurred in countries with a weak level of food security, 11.4 million tons. The primary outcome of this paper is to establish a link between the levels of food security and food loss in different countries, which may serve as a guide for the design of specific public policies.

Land footprint and GHG emissions from global food loss.

Efficient land use represents a global challenge in the context of high levels of food loss (FL) and waste (FLW) and increasing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from global agricultural activities. This study aimed to estimate the land footprint (LF) associated with FL worldwide. It also estimated the GHG emissions from crop residues and their burning, and their relationship with food loss for the main crops worldwide. The study analyzed data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) regarding land use, FL, and global GHG emissions from crop residues. The findings suggest that the average LF associated with FL worldwide is about 69million ha per year, and the main food items responsible for most of the LF associated with FL are maize, wheat, and rice. The annual average emissions derived from burning crop residues of FL are 48.8 kilotons year-1 of CH4 and 1.26 kilotons year-1 of N2 O, and the emission of N2 O derived from crop residues of FL is about 24.1 kilotons year-1 , considering the three crops. Food loss implies high levels of LF and GHG emissions, reinforcing the need for proper public and private initiatives worldwide to reduce FL and waste (FLW). Organizations such as the FAO and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) should incorporate indicators regarding FLW reduction to evaluate and monitor countries' performance. An international agreement also needs to be addressed to engage the world's nations in the reduction of FLW levels. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Food losses perceived by family farms: Challenges and policy implications from a micro-approach quantification

During the last decade, food loss and waste (FLW) has been gaining more attention due to its negative effect on food security. However, the lack of information about FLW quantification and characterization remains a problem, especially from the perspectives of local citizens and farmers. There is limited literature examining food losses (FL) in primary production of the food supply chain (FSC) and specific policies are needed to improve the FLW measurement. The aim of this research is to analyze how much FL is generated at the farm level using a micro-approach methodology from harvest to primary commercialization stages among farmers located in Central Chile. Additionally, we explore factors affecting FL using a fractional regression model with special emphasis on the harvest stage. Data were collected using phone interviews, conducted in 2019, with 177 small-scale producers of vegetables and berries. FL generated by the sample from harvest to primary commercialization was 14.5% on average. Farmers identified a considerable volume of FL during primary production, mostly during the harvest. The factors that increased FL among small-scale farmers were the production system and its harvest period, commercialization channels, labor shortage, and cosmetic standards. As a case study, the information collected here can be useful for encouraging further research emphasizing the harvest stage and the role of the production systems in generating FLW.

Corporate Reporting on Food Waste by UK Seafood Companies: Literature Review and an Assessment of Current Practices

Over 10% of the world’s population is undernourished, yet 1/3 of all food produced each year is lost or wasted. Such a level of inefficiency in the global food system has a significant economic, social, and environmental impact which has elicited calls for urgent global action. This paper responds to this call by developing an interdisciplinary framework focusing on legal, regulatory, accounting, and reporting frameworks to improve the prevention or reduction of food loss and waste (FLW). Mobilising a literature review, this paper advances a three-pronged suggestion for tackling FLW in UK seafood companies: the development of technological solutions in the form of sensors; the enactment of a comprehensive legal and regulatory reporting template for seafood companies; and finally, the development of accounting standards that mandate reporting beyond the current Food and Waste Accounting and Reporting Standard by the Water Resources Institute (WRI), which is modelled on voluntary compliance.

Whydoes food loss and wastematter for food security-from the perspective of causeand magnitude

Food security has raised crisis alarms all over the world. Especially nowadays, conventional agriculture is threatened by climate change and extreme weather, and the agri-food system is loading the increasing population burden. Food loss and waste (FLW) have gotten more and more attention. Still, the main research focus is on a narrowed and specific stage of the food value chain of specific food types in a particular area, which lacks an overall comprehensive understanding of this topic from a broad view. This review aims to provide a comprehensive description of food loss and waste and provide a useful theoretical background to public decision-makers and individuals to reduce food loss and waste for a better and more sustainable society, economy, and environment. Secondary research and content analysis are used in this review as methodology, following Michael E. Porter’s value chain theory, to analyze and simplify the sustainable path (in light of the cause and magnitude of food security based on the nexus between food security and food loss and waste across the entire food value chain (from the main manifestation of FLW: agricultural production stages, such as cultivation or breeding and storage, post-harvest processing and distribution, and retail and consumption. We also provided the Ishikawa model diagram to better explain the causes of food loss and waste. And other manifestations, such as the COVID-19 and Russia and Ukraine war). To conclude, reducing food loss and waste is crucial for sustainable food security, but the manifestation of FLW differ in different stage of the value chain and different food types. Generally speaking, production sees the most loss, while consumption sees the most waste. Therefore, we suggest both public and private should be aware that producing more food and utilizing food resources properly along different stages of the value chain is equally important.

Peningkatan Performa Teknis dan Ekonomi Peternakan Ayam Lokal IPB D1 yang Diberikan Tepung Larva Black Soldier Fly

Food loss and waste (FLW) and dependence on imported feed ingredients need to be resolved comprehensively. Bioconversion using the Black Soldier Fly (BSF) maggot is applicable to overcome this problem. This study aims to examine the technical and economic performance of IPB D1 local chickens fed BSF maggot in their rations. This study used a completely randomized design (CRD) to observe differences in the production and economic performance of 515 birds (IPB D1). Three treatments (P0, P1, and P2) were observed for ten weeks. BSF maggot meal cost production, production performance, and economic performance were observed in this study. The data were analyzed using descriptive and statistical analysis. The main findings of this research indicated the potential of maggot meal as an alternative source of protein in local chicken rations. Feed efficiency and production performance of IPB D1 chickens given P1 and P2 rations could compete with rations using other protein sources. The economic performance also shows the same thing. However, there are high–economic costs for producing maggot meal. Furthermore, the benefits value by rations P1 and P2 were relatively small compared to control rations. Based on technical and economic performance, maggot meal needs to be developed as a local chicken ration ingredient. However, innovation is necessary to reduce production costs and increase profitability.

Food Waste Prevention: Reduction, Reuse, and Recycling

Food loss and waste (FLW) is a global concern that has adverse environmental, social, and economic impacts [...]

A Systematic Review of Real-Time Monitoring Technologies and Its Potential Application to Reduce Food Loss and Waste: Key Elements of Food Supply Chains and IoT Technologies

Continuous monitoring of food loss and waste (FLW) is crucial for improving food security and mitigating climate change. By measuring quality parameters such as temperature and humidity, real-time sensors are technologies that can continuously monitor the quality of food and thereby help reduce FLW. While there is enough literature on sensors, there is still a lack of understanding on how, where and to what extent these sensors have been applied to monitor FLW. In this paper, a systematic review of 59 published studies focused on sensor technologies to reduce food waste in food supply chains was performed with a view to synthesising the experience and lessons learnt. This review examines two aspects of the field, namely, the type of IoT technologies applied and the characteristics of the supply chains in which it has been deployed. Supply chain characteristics according to the type of product, supply chain stage, and region were examined, while sensor technology explores the monitored parameters, communication protocols, data storage, and application layers. This article shows that, while due to their high perishability and short shelf lives, monitoring fruit and vegetables using a combination of temperature and humidity sensors is the most recurring goal of the research, there are many other applications and technologies being explored in the research space for the reduction of food waste. In addition, it was demonstrated that there is huge potential in the field, and that IoT technologies should be continually explored and applied to improve food production, management, transportation, and storage to support the cause of reducing FLW.

Scale and Environmental Impacts of Food Loss and Waste in China-A Material Flow Analysis.

Evidence of China's food loss and waste (FLW) and its increasing impacts on food security and environmental sustainability is urgently needed to guide policy intervention and avoid unnecessary damage to human health and the environment. This paper estimates the scale of China's FLW in 2019 and assesses the environmental impacts of major food types along the entire food supply chain (FSC) by using a food balance and material flow analysis (MFA) based on existing empirical research. The results show a total FLW of 422.56 Mt which is around 22.37% of total food production (1889.12 Mt). There are also serious environmental impacts on the land footprint (LF), water footprint (WF), and the carbon footprint (CF) estimation (4152.36 × 109 gm2, 613.84 × 106 t CO2e and 506.07 × 109 m3 on average, respectively), most of which are found in foods of animal products, cereals, vegetables and fruit at the stages of consumption, agricultural production, postharvest handling and storage. In addition, the root causes of FLW generation at different levels-micro, meso and macro-were also analyzed. These results will provide significant guidance to researchers and decision-makers on primary data collection and reduction-policy development for China's FLW.

Food loss reduction interventions and food security: The case of Russia

It is often taken for granted that food loss and waste (FLW) reduction leads to better food security on the local, national and global levels. However, in reality, relations between food security and FLW are not direct, and reduction of food losses and even the increase of food availability do not automatically mean the rise in affordability and access for the most vulnerable people. In this paper, the authors explore food losses on the example­ of grain primary production and chicken meat processing in Russia. They identify the causes of food losses in each case and provide a number of possible solutions for food loss reduction. However, it is also highlighted and explained in the paper why not every measure to reduce food loss will result in better food security overall and the increase of well-being for the most vulnerable population.

Challenges for a Sustainable Food Supply Chain: A Review on Food Losses and Waste

To address global food security, new strategies are required in view of the challenges represented by Climate Change, depletion of natural resources and the need to not further compromise the ecosystems’ quality and biodiversity. Food losses and waste (FLW) affect food security and nutrition, as well as the sustainability of food systems. Quantification of the adverse effects of FLW is a complex and multidimensional challenge requiring a wide-ranging approach, regarding the quantification of FLW as well as the related economic, environmental and social aspects. The evaluation of suitable corrective actions for managing FLW along the food supply chain requires a system of sound and shared benchmarks that seem still undefined. This review aims to provide an overview of the environmental, economic and social issues of FLW, which may support policy measures for prevention, reduction and valorization of food wastes within the food supply chain. In fact, detection of the hotspots and critical points allows to develop tailored policy measures that may improve the efficiency of the food supply chain and its sustainability, with an integrated approach involving all the main actors and considering the several production contexts.

Food loss and waste from farm to gate in Brazilian soybean production

Brazil is a global leader in soybean production. Although it is acknowledged that part of Brazilian soybean crop is lost and wasted in transition from farm to gate, the exact magnitude of this food loss and waste (FLW) remains unknown. This hampers the design of preventative interventions, thus diminishing profitability of farmers and resellers. This study quantified FLW occurring from farm to gate, identified the causes and assessed the monetary value of the lost crop. Data were collected by continuous monitoring of the crop planted in 2020 and harvested in 2021 by a larger soybean producer in the State of Paraná. These data were triangulated with stakeholder interviews and secondary data. The monitoring results showed that for every US$ 20 of revenue from soybean production, about US$ 1 (5.68%) was lost or wasted. Incorrect use of combine harvesters, moisture and foreign material represented the main FLW causes. The results highlighted the need to implement policies aimed at raising awareness of FLW among farmers and their employees. • A case study of FLW from Brazilian soybean production. • Out of every US$ 20 of soybean producer's income, US$ 1 is lost or wasted between farm and gate. • FLW increases as distance from farm to gate becomes greater. • Better trained combine harvester operators will reduce FLW significantly. • Measures are required to change farmers' attitude to FLW as being an issue of little concern.

The Drivers of Food Loss at the Farm Level: A Study of Farmers in Salatiga, Central Java, Indonesia

Food loss and waste (FLW) contribute to adverse economic and environmental impacts. In Indonesia, the agriculture sector is the primary source of income for 38,78 million people, and food loss is a significant issue. At the farm level, food loss falls into two categories: food that is never harvested and food that is lost between the point of harvest and sale. The term “food loss” is frequently used to refer to agricultural production that is lost unintentionally. This research aims to identify the drivers of food loss at the farm level in Indonesia using a case study of farmers in Salatiga City, Central Java Province of Indonesia. The farmers’ survey was distributed in Salatiga’s most significant urban village (Sidorejo Lor), with n=22 farmers. Using descriptive quantitative analysis, the study found that farmers are not well informed about the issue of food loss. The food loss drivers at the farm level include the presence of pests and disease, human error during manual harvesting, and gaps in appropriate harvesting technology, which results in substantial crop loss.

Exploration of Food Security Challenges towards More Sustainable Food Production: A Systematic Literature Review of the Major Drivers and Policies

Food security is a central priority for international policy as one of the world's most significantly urgent targets to achieve. It is considered one of the most pressing issues in many countries, the degree of food security representing the level of self-sufficiency and well-being of citizens. In particular, in the current COVID-19 pandemic era, it has more than ever become a mission-critical goal. In this research, we report on the food security drivers and the current state of recommended policies addressing chronic food insecurity aimed at ensuring the sustainability of future food production. Mapping the determinants of food security contributes to a better understanding of the issue and aids in the development of appropriate food security policies and strategies to enhance the sustainability of food production in all facets; namely environmental, social, and economic. Adopting the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) data screening and selection guidelines and standards, we carried out a comprehensive, reliable, systematic, and rigorous review of research from the last ten years in order to identify the most frequently mentioned drivers and policies of food security in the literature available in two databases: Scopus and Web of Science (WOS). The number of extracted articles was 141 papers in total. An analysis revealed 34 drivers of food security and 17 most recommended policies for the mitigation of food insecurity. The existence of food loss and waste (FLW) policies was the primary driver of food security, followed by food security policies (FSP) in their different forms. However, FSP were the most recommended policies, followed by FLW policies. The identified food security drivers and recommended policies should be used by policy-makers to improve food security, thus contributing to sustainable food production. Our research findings, reflected in the latest version of the Global Food Security Index (GFSI), resulted in more tangible policy implications, suggesting the addition of two dimensions regarding food security. We also identified elements not listed under the GFSI that could be considered in its future revision, including environmental policies/indicators, consumer representation, and traceability throughout the entire supply chain. Overall, it can be concluded that food security is a complicated and multi-faceted issue that cannot be restricted to a single variable, necessitating the deeper integration of various multi-disciplinary interventions.

SeqFLoW: A systematic approach to identify and select food waste valorisation opportunities

Food loss and waste (FLW) represents a global challenge with complex and multifaceted environmental, economic and social implications. There are many options to manage FLW, some of which extract value that would otherwise be lost and mitigate environmental impacts. Decision making frameworks aid the selection of FLW management options by comparing the associated environmental, social and economic impacts. However, these frameworks generally utilise in-depth assessments and multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) methods that are time consuming and require specialist training or software. Consequently, it is generally not feasible to apply in-depth analyses to multiple FLW management options, which limits the scope of the assessment, as there are many potential FLW management options for any given FLW, and new processes and products are being developed regularly. The Sequential decision making for Food Loss and Waste (SeqFLoW) framework provides a screening methodology, to assess and rank a broad range of FLW management options, based on critical success factors. The application of the SeqFLoW framework was demonstrated for a citrus waste case study, which systematically downselected five FLW management options from over 80 alternatives. The SeqFLoW framework offers industry and academic professionals a methodology to justify the downselection of FLW management alternatives for further analysis.

Determinants of Food Waste from Household Food Consumption: A Case Study from Field Survey in Germany.

According to FAO about one-third of the food worldwide is discarded. The economic, environmental, and social (ethical) impact of food loss and waste (FLW) is substantial. Food waste (FW) at the household level in high income countries makes a significant share of total FLW. Target 12.3 of the Sustainable Development Goals advocates a 50% reduction of the global per capita FW by 2030. The German government has agreed to this goal. Across all sectors, about half of the waste is avoidable. To achieve a reduction of FLW, information on the current level, its causes, and the economic costs of its reduction are necessary. Depending on the definitions and methodologies to measure FLW, studies have come to different results. This study estimates and analyses avoidable and total household FW and for the first time its determinants in Germany. On average, 59.6 kg per capita of food is wasted annually, of which 49% is avoidable FW. The main causes of household FW are eating habits, shopping behaviour, involvement in FW, and retail promotions.