Food Waste Prevention Research Articles

Opportunities for Food waste Behavior at the Household Level in the Special Region of Yogyakarta

Food waste has become a serious concern due to the environmental damage and financial losses it causes. Leftover food at the consumption stage is a direct consequence of consumer buying behavior. Most of the food waste occurs at the household level. This makes analysis of the causes of food waste behavior at the household level an opportunity to prevent food waste problems. This study aims to determine the behavior of food waste at the household level in the Special Region of Yogyakarta. Data of 203 respondents were obtained from online and offline surveys and analyzed descriptively. The findings show that households have a very positive attitude towards avoiding food waste which is supported by a high level of food management knowledge and skills. The level of household eating and shopping habits that support food waste is in the moderate category.

Mitigating and preventing food insecurity: a scoping review of the current EU policies

Abstract Background Food insecurity (FI) is a major public health concern, due to its association with a variety of adverse health outcomes. The aim of this study is to provide a picture of the EU policy response and adherence to the international recommendations in terms of FI mitigation and prevention. Methods A scoping review was carried out based on PRISMA Extension for scoping reviews method. By using specific queries/keywords, Pubmed and Scopus were searched and also institutional databases: EUR-Lex, WHO Global Database on the Implementation of Nutrition. The search was supplemented by a review of a list of organizations’ official websites, including Cordis, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund and World Food Programme. Results The search on PubMed and Scopus produced a list of 8 articles, 3 concerning agriculture policies in EU, 4 related to intervention on the school lunch and 1 focused on the introduction of a tax on unhealthy drinks. Based on the search on EUR-Lex and WHO Global Database on the Implementation of Nutrition, 4 EU-wide statutory policies were collected covering school meals, food loss reduction, food waste prevention and food crisis and humanitarian aid operations. The institutional website's review returned 18 documents in the form of ‘soft law’ measures, including action plans, action tools and projects. Conclusions Preliminary findings suggest that currently, at EU level, a coherent specific policy framework on FI is lacking. The policy fragmentation is mainly due to the multidimensional nature of FI, which has interconnections with multiple and different areas of food system-food availability, food accessibility, food safety and food quality and healthiness. The outputs also show that to date EU has failed to adhere to the international recommendations (above all, WHO recommendations) on FI mitigation and prevention. This has significant implications in terms of public health. Key messages • Policies design and implementation have the potential to create living environments conducive to good health and to lead to concrete health gains. • Health gains resulting from strategies and policies implementation against FI reduce healthcare costs associated with the treatment of the FI-related diseases.

Detection of subsurface bruises in plums using spectral imaging and deep learning with wavelength selection

Plums are widely consumed, both fresh and processed. During harvest, handling, or transportation, they are exposed to static and dynamic compression forces exceeding the critical stress for tissue damage. Compression-related damage typically develops further as the fruit ripens and softens, facilitating the occurrence of rot, which might cause significant losses in the supply chain. Early detection of these damages is crucial to sorting the damaged fruit out and deviating it to processing, thus preventing food waste. However, early-stage bruises or damages on plums are not visible, especially not in dark-skin cultivars. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the potential of hyperspectral imaging in the 430 to 1 000 nm range and deep learning algorithms to detect these invisible bruises at an early stage. To this end, 'Presenta' plums were impacted at three different levels to simulate varying degrees of damage. Images of both bruised and non-bruised plums were taken immediately after bruising and 24 and 48 h after bruise induction. Three distinct CNNs were trained to analyze the images. Two of these networks were implemented using transfer learning (ResNet and HSCNN), while the third was custom-designed for this specific purpose. The most informative wavelengths were identified as inputs for the CNNs employing PCA. F1 scores over 81% were obtained in all cases, and almost 100% accuracy was obtained in classifying the bruised plums with the highest impact energy of 0.50 J. Thus, detecting and classifying bruised plums using only three wavelengths is possible, paving the way for in-line sorting with multispectral cameras in packing houses.

Does household food waste prevention and reduction depend on bundled motivation and food management practices?

The paper categorises households based on their motivations and management practices towards reducing food waste, examines the factors that differentiate households that use specific food management practices and motivation bundles, and evaluates the effect of motivations and food management practices on household food waste. Using data from households in the United Kingdom, three bundles of motivation (saving, environmental considerations and emotions) and management practices (plan, inspect and proactive) are elicited. The results show that the single predominant management practice is “inspect” while “environmental considerations” was the most common motivation. We find evidence that different motivation bundles, as well as management bundles are used in a complementary manner. The results show that of the three management bundles, being proactive is more likely to result in reducing food waste. On the other hand, considerations for the environment and negative emotion that arise after food is wasted increases the desire to reduce waste. This study highlights the interdependent nature of motivations and practices and could guide public policy and awareness campaigns for more targeted and effective waste reduction strategies. Targeted public awareness campaigns emphasising the environmental impact of food waste and educational programs integrated into existing initiatives could effectively reduce household food waste in the UK.

Young People Are Not All the Same! The Theory of Planned Behaviour Applied to Food Waste Behaviour across Young Italian Generations

To reach the SDG 12.3 target, understanding food waste behaviour (FWB) is fundamental, especially among young people. As future generations of parents, leaders, and citizens, they might potentially solve food sustainability issues and other matters arising from food waste. In such a context, this study extends the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) by including personal norms and environmental concern to explain and to predict the FWB of young Italians who belong to Generation Y and Generation Z. The theoretical model was empirically tested by administering a questionnaire to 322 Italian young people and by applying two distinct PLS-SEM models for Generation Y and Generation Z. Our results support not only the main relationship suggested by the TPB model with respect to FWB but also that, in affecting it, personal norms and environmental concern play different roles according to the generations. Understanding the mechanisms through which personal norms and environmental concern translate into reducing food waste is crucial to defining interventions aimed at changing youth behaviour. It could represent a relevant step towards preventing food waste and promoting sustainable management of food chains.

Cold warehousing services from the perspectives of logistics providers: the mediating role of cost and organizational readiness

Despite the importance of the cold supply chain in preventing food waste worldwide, there are only a limited number of cold chain providers in Malaysia. This study investigates the factors influencing the intention to provide cold warehousing service logistics providers in Malaysia. Employing a purposive sampling method, data were gathered via an online survey of logistics companies in Malaysia. 184 usable datasets were valid for further analysis. Owing to concerns regarding predictive purposes, structural equation modelling with SMART-PLS 4 was applied to test the hypotheses of this study. The analysis found all direct hypotheses were supported. The relationship between CEO innovativeness and intention, and government support toward intention, is positively mediated by organizational readiness. Meanwhile, cost failed to mediate the relationship between CEO innovativeness and intention. The study developed a new model with two mediators for a better understanding of the factors influencing the intention to provide cold warehousing services in Malaysia from the perspective of logistics providers. The findings will provide meaningful information for the government to craft a better policy to enhance the number of cold service providers.

Multi-group Analysis of Consumer’s Food Waste Behavior at Household Level

Purpose: Multifaceted food waste behavior attracted the researchers from diversity of disciplines. Scholars have studied this subject from two primary sociological ontologies: behavioral and socio-psychological. There are several interrelating activities due to which behaviors and practices related with waste reductions are intricate.
 Methodology: This study contributed to an important extension of Partial Least Squares (PLS-SEM) route modelling: the comparison of PLS estimates across subpopulations, often known as multi-group analysis. Applying PLS-based multi-group analysis approaches have the drawback of relying on distributional assumptions. This work proposes PLS-MGA, a non-parametric PLS-based approach to multi-group analysis.
 Findings: The study has revealed that psychographic factors (attitude, Intentions) and routine related factors (household skill, leftover reuse routine, planning) play a crucial role to predict the food wastage behavior. In addition, it is also revealed that injunctive norms are direct predictor of food wastage behavior.
 Implications: Policy makers need to implement such measures and policies that can motivate consumers to reduce food waste by raising awareness toward environmental issues. The implications and recommendations presented in this study to prevent food waste may pave the path to success in reaching the national sustainability agenda.

Proactive food waste prevention in grocery retail supply chains – An exploratory study

PurposeRegarding the retail internal supply chain (SC), both retailers and research are currently focused on reactive food waste reduction options in stores (e.g. discounting or donations). These options reduce waste after a surplus has emerged but do not prevent an emerging surplus in the first place. This paper aims to reveal how retailers can proactively prevent waste along the SC and why the options identified are impactful but, at the same time, often complex to implement.Design/methodology/approachThe authors follow an exploratory approach for a nascent topic to obtain insights into measures taken in practice. Interviews with experts from retail build the main data source.FindingsThe authors identify and analyze 21 inbound, warehousing, distribution and store-related options applied in grocery retail. Despite the expected high overall impact on waste, prevention measures in inbound logistics and distribution and warehousing have not been intensively applied to date.Practical implicationsThe authors provide a structured approach to mitigate waste within retailers' operations and categorize the types of barriers that need to be addressed.Originality/valueThis research provides a better understanding of prevention options in retail operations, which has not yet been empirically explored. Furthermore, this study conceptualizes prevention and reduction options and reveals implementation patterns.

Does children’s liking prevent food waste at school canteens? A real life experiment

Does children’s liking prevent food waste at school canteens? A real life experiment

A systematic review of country-specific drivers and barriers to household food waste reduction and prevention.

Food waste is a global challenge that threatens the sustainable development of human societies. Although food waste is produced in all stages of the food supply chain, household food waste is the biggest contributor to the food waste fraction. In this research, we systematically reviewed 54 empirical studies to explore drivers and barriers to household food waste reduction and prevention. Key aspects, such as comprehension and perception of food waste issues, practices and lifestyles, were examined. Our findings suggest that a great understanding of the impact of one's food waste on health, environment and economy directly promotes food waste management. Additionally, the food waste issue is not attributed to a single factor, it may differ varies across countries. The majority of the reviewed literature on household food waste comes from European countries, where similar geographical, economic and cultural characteristics may lead to comparable drivers and barriers. This could be the reason for showing optimistic experience to the respective food waste management interventions. However, the applicability of these findings and interventions to regions beyond Europe are uncertain. Future studies should also be expanded to include regions such as Asia, North America, Africa, Oceania, Latin America and the Caribbean. To support the sustainable management of household food waste, mapping country-specific food waste determinants is crucial in developing easy-to-implement food waste interventions that can specifically address the food waste issue in each country.

Sustainable Preparation Behavior for Kitchen Staff in Order to Limit Food Waste.

The concepts of culinary sustainability and avoiding the waste of surplus food have become important sustainability trends today. How the handling of surplus food can be integrated into the catering industry is a topic of concern in the industry. Kitchen staff are the vital soul of any restaurant, and we intend to discuss how kitchen staff actually behave and explore factors that influence their behaviors in order to develop an implementation model for food waste prevention. Therefore, this study explored a model of ethical sustainability, professional competence, self-efficacy, sustainable food preparation objectives, and sustainable food promotion and behavior focused on limiting food waste, using structural equation modeling (SEM) to understand the relationship between various constructs. This study used a questionnaire and surveyed employees who had been employed for more than 6 months in Taiwan. From May to August 2022, 500 questionnaires were distributed; 415 valid questionnaires were retrieved, yielding a 90.2% recovery rate. According to the structural equation modeling analysis between the dimensions, ethical sustainability should have a positive influence on professional competence in food waste prevention and self-efficacy. Professional competence in food waste prevention affected self-efficacy and behavioral intentions during food preparation; self-efficacy also significantly affected behavioral intentions towards sustainable food preparation. Similarly, behavioral intention had a positive influence on promoting sustainable behaviors. There is a significant relationship between all constructs in this study. Professional competence in food waste prevention was found to be the mediating factor between ethical sustainability and behavioral intentions toward sustainable food preparation, and self-efficacy was the mediating factor between professional competence in food waste prevention and behavioral intentions toward sustainable food preparation.

The management and prevention of food losses and waste in low- and middle-income countries: A mini-review in the Africa region.

This mini-review analyses food losses and waste (FLW) management in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) and identifies potential strategies to improve FLW management efficiency on the African continent. To achieve this aim, a search of grey and published scientific literature-case studies, feasibility studies, theses, peer-reviewed journals, governments and technical reports was performed. Food waste (FW) per capita in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) was determined to be between 6 and 11 kg capita-1 year-1. Factors militating against FLW management include a lack of infrastructure, waste reduction and mandatory waste management plans, financial support for food redistribution programmes, awareness and a lack of knowledge of FW management and effective approaches. Poor recovery systems, a lack of incentives in FW recycling programmes, a lack of a regulatory and policy framework and institutional weaknesses as well as a lack of sufficient and appropriate education programmes to improve FW source separation and collection rates are all significant challenges in the African region, with negative consequences for the environment and public health. Except for fuel conversion and food scraps for digestion to recover energy, there is a huge potential for composting and using FW as a digestate, which could eventually lead to a reduction in the amount of FW being landfilled or incinerated. The study explores potential interventions to reduce amount of FLW and form a basis for future research in this field and improving FW management efficiency in LMCs, especially on the continent of Africa. It also provides information that could assist researchers, policymakers and decision-makers reduce amount of FLW, aid in the utilization of FW for energy production, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the continent, as well as support the achievement of other sustainable development goals, such as 12.3, which is particularly important in the context of the African continent, which is dependent on food imports.

Mitigation strategies for excessive cadmium in rice.

Cadmium (Cd)-contaminated rice is a human food safety problem that lacks a clear solution. A large amount of rice having an excessive Cd content is processed yearly, but it cannot be discarded and placed in landfills because it will cause secondary pollution. How do we best cope with this toxic rice? From the perspectives of food safety, food waste prevention, and human hunger eradication, the use of contemporary physical, chemical, and biological techniques to lower the Cd content in postharvest Cd-contaminated rice so that it can be used safely is the best course of action. In this review, the contamination, chemical speciation, and distribution of Cd in rice are analyzed and discussed, as are the methods of Cd removal from rice, including a comparison of the advantages and disadvantages of various techniques. Owing to the limitations of current technology, research and technological development recommendations for removing Cd from rice grain are presented. The chemical and biological methods produce higher Cd-removal rates than physical methods. However, they are limited to small-scale laboratory applications and cannot be applied on a large industrial scale. For the efficient safe removal of Cd from food, mixed fermentation with lactic acid bacteria and yeast has good application prospects. However, limited strains having high Cd-removal rates have been screened. In addition, modern biotechnology has rarely been applied to reduce rice Cd levels. Therefore, applying genetic engineering techniques to rapidly obtain microorganisms with high Cd-removal rates in rice should be the focus of future research.

Five ways to waste food: food wasting behaviours questionnaire

PurposeThe goal of the present research was to resolve two problems with contemporary methods used to assess consumer food waste: the lack of established categories of food wasting behaviours and difficulties in assessing food waste. In Studies 1 A and 1 B, a five-factor questionnaire for measuring food wasting behaviours was developed. Study 2 and Exploratory analyses verified whether the questionnaire allows for predicting the amount of wasted meat, dairy and bakery and a range of socioeconomic characteristics.Design/methodology/approachBased on pre-registered studies, a new questionnaire for measuring the frequency of food wasting behaviours, the Food Wasting Behaviours Questionnaire (FWBQ), was developed.FindingsThe results provided evidence that behaviours associated with food wasting could be narrowed down to five distinctive basic categories: (1) discarding food because of its' unpalatability; (2) preventing food waste through buying only the necessities; (3) preventing food waste through planning; (4) preventing food waste through sharing and (5) preventing food waste through feeding animals. The FWBQ allowed for investigating the socio-economic factors that influence food wasting behaviour. Finally, the FWBQ allowed for predicting the amount of wasted meat, dairy and bakery products. Also, particular factors were associated with a range of socioeconomic characteristics.Originality/valueThe FWBQ has been shown to be an inexpensive and easy-to-use method for systematising distinct categories of food wasting behaviours and demonstrating their determinants. The study takes an empirical approach (rather than intuitive) to distinguish separate categories of food wasting.

Exploring success factors in food waste prevention initiatives of retailers: the critical role of digital technologies

PurposeFood waste is a severe problem affecting the supply chain due to its significant adverse social and environmental effects. Even if the topic is hotly debated in the literature, there is a lack of research about the success factors influencing food waste prevention initiatives retailers undertake.Design/methodology/approachThe research analyzes how several variables (i.e. product-related variables and technology-enabling variables) might impact the success of the sales of products close to the expiration date that is sold at a discounted price. Data from 390.000 products sold at a discounted price in 2020 and 2021 by a large Italian food retailer were examined with a regression analysis.FindingsThe results highlight that both product-related and technology-enabling variables influence the success of food prevention initiatives aimed at selling products close to the expiration date at a discounted price. In particular, the authors stress the importance of digital technologies in supporting food waste prevention initiatives.Practical implicationsThe study offers several practical implications for managers in structuring a waste prevention initiative. The introduction of digital technologies, the monitoring of specific variables or the ability to find synergies with other food waste prevention initiatives are discussed to support retailers in reducing food losses.Originality/valueThe paper is focused on the retailer perspective, which is barely investigated due to the difficulty in finding data.

Closing the Loop: How Circular Economy Approaches Can Tackle Food Waste and Promote Sustainability

Food waste has been a pressing global issue with significant economic, environmental and social implications. Approximately one-third of the food produced for human consumption is wasted or lost yearly, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, hunger and food insecurity. Circular economy approaches offer innovative solutions to tackle food waste by emphasizing the reuse and recycling of materials and resources. This perspective paper explores the potential of circular economy approaches in addressing or tackling food waste while promoting sustainability. It provides an overview of the current state of food waste, discusses the principles and implementation of circular economy approaches, and presents case studies and initiatives that exemplify the application of circular economy principles in tackling food waste. Circular economy approaches, such as food waste prevention, food rescue and redistribution, organic waste recycling and composting and upcycling food by-products, can effectively reduce food waste, conserve resources, minimize environmental impact and create economic and social benefits. We can move towards a more sustainable and efficient food system by adopting circular economy approaches.

Practice to change: Reflecting upon practice theory for food waste management in professional kitchens

• Holistic outlook on food waste management in professional kitchens from the perspective of practice theory. • Chefs assign different meanings to food waste, and these depend on norms, beliefs, values, and cultural traits. • Resourceful cooking facilitates food waste prevention and reduction. • Materiality is essential for food waste management but is under-researched. • Current and prospective chefs need to be trained for practices to change.

Dealing with donations: Supply chain management challenges for food banks

Food banks redistribute food donations that would otherwise be lost for consumption by humans to people in need. As such, food banks play an important role both in addressing food insecurity for people at risk of poverty or social exclusion and in the prevention of food waste and its related environmental impacts. The efficient and effective management of food bank supply chains is a key part of reaching these important societal goals. In practice, however, the typical characteristics of food bank supply chains provide many challenges for supply chain management. In this paper, we present an overview of the key supply chain challenges in food bank supply chains based on experiences from various actors in these supply chains. Also, we review what the operations and supply chain management literature has contributed so far to addressing these challenges. Based on these challenges and the literature review, we will discuss the implications for future research. We found that important challenges related to dealing with voluntary labour, managing highly perishable products, and limited IT infrastructures have not received much attention in the literature. Furthermore, interdependencies between challenges related to supply, demand, and the matching of supply and demand require more interaction with different research disciplines.

How to Exploit Sustainable Food Consumption Habits of Individuals: Evidence from a Household Survey in Izmir, Türkiye

Sustainable production and consumption in the food supply chain are critical for the United Nations’ sustainable development goals (SDGs). Therefore, it is significant to identify the factors that shape individuals’ food consumption behaviour. Türkiye prioritises sustainable food consumption and the prevention of food loss and waste as a national focus. Accordingly, this study aims to identify the drivers of individuals’ food consumption habits in Türkiye through a survey with the participants being households in Izmir, the third most populous city in Türkiye. More specifically, the study has two main objectives: (i) to identify the factors influencing households’ food consumption preferences and (ii) to demonstrate how the factors concerning sustainable food consumption interact through a survey conducted in Izmir. Based on the state-of-art literature, an online survey was completed by 515 respondents in Izmir. Through an analysis of the survey responses, this study provides a descriptive analysis of socio-demographic variables and a correlation analysis between socio-demographics and sustainable food consumption behaviours, including food shopping behaviour, food purchasing and consumption behaviour, dietary habits, and food waste behaviour. The results demonstrate that socio-demographic factors such as age, gender, education level, income level, and the number of residents in the household are significant for sustainable food consumption behaviour. The survey results also demonstrate that the respondents do not consider carbon footprint generation from food production and transportation in their decisions or behaviours. The study’s main limitation is that the survey is implemented in a single city, Izmir. Future research may extend the scope to other cities in Türkiye, allowing a comparative analysis.

Miniaturized wireless sensor enables real-time monitoring of food spoilage.

Food spoilage results in food waste and food-borne diseases. Yet, standard laboratory tests to determine spoilage (mainly volatile biogenic amines) are not performed regularly by supply chain personnel or end customers. Here we developed a poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride)-based, miniature (2 × 2 cm2) sensor for on-demand spoilage analysis via mobile phones. To demonstrate a real-life application, the wireless sensor was embedded into packaged chicken and beef; consecutive readings from meat samples using the sensor under various storage conditions enabled the monitoring of spoilage. While samples stored at room temperature showed an almost 700% change in sensor response on the third day, those stored in the freezer resulted in an insignificant change in sensor output. The proposed low-cost, miniature wireless sensor nodes can be integrated into packaged foods, helping consumers and suppliers detect spoilage of protein-rich foods on demand, and ultimately preventing food waste and food-borne diseases.