Food losses and waste: how Brazil is facing this global challenge?

ABSTRACT By 2017, Brazil seems to have finally awakened to the problem of food loss and waste. In this article, we resume the topic started in the article “Postharvest losses of perishables in Brazil: what do we know so far?” published earlier this year, but now with an emphasis on food losses and waste (FLW). We divided this article into four sections: (a) search for scientific publications on postharvest losses (PHL) and food waste (FW) in Portuguese; (b) social classes and food consumption in Brazil and household food waste; (c) the national legal framework on FLW; and (d) current food security policies and civil society actions on FLW. Google Scholar searches yielded 46,100 records for FW and 16,100 for PHL, but only 37 and 19 records, respectively, when the searches were restricted to the title of the papers. There is a clear division of subjects: PHL is more related to Agriculture and Economy and FW to Health, Nutrition and the Environment, and reasons and consequences are discussed. Food consumption and waste in Brazil must take into account the great social heterogeneity and high income inequality, as well as some unexpected driving cultural reasons. About 30 bills related to food waste have been discussed in the Brazilian Congress since 1997, with a low expectation of approval in the short term. In the absence of a regulatory framework to reduce losses and facilitate the donation of food, society has found its own way of dealing with the problem. Some initiatives are presented here, along with some governmental food security policies which had positive impacts in reducing FLW, such as National School Feeding Program (PNAE), food banks and popular restaurants. Some international movements are also beginning to gain strength in Brazil, e.g., the purchase of fruits and vegetables outside of aesthetic standards, “SaveFood Brasil”, “Slow Food”, among others. These are all put in perspective.

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Research on food losses and waste in North Africa

The North African Journal of Food and Nutrition Research - July-December 2021 ◽

10.51745/najfnr.2.3.51-58 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2 (3) ◽

pp. 51-58

Author(s):

Hamid El Bilali

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Food Security ◽

North Africa ◽

Food Waste ◽

Food System ◽

Research Policy ◽

Economic Implications ◽

Food Losses ◽

System Sustainability ◽

Food Wastage

Background: Food losses and food waste represent an emerging problem with enormous economic, environmental, and social implications. Therefore, the reduction of food wastage is considered a promising strategy, not only to achieve food security but also to improve the food system sustainability. Food wastage is a serious issue also in North Africa region. Aims: This paper provides an overview on research dealing with food losses and waste (FLW) in North Africa (Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia). Methods and Material: A systematic review was carried out in January 2018 using Scopus database. Issues addressed in the systematic review include geography of research on FLW in North Africa (i.e. countries considered or underserved), bibliometric parameters (e.g. journals, institutions) as well as thematic focus (agricultural loss, food waste). Selected records were also interrogated to see if they address the extent of FLW, the relation between food wastage and food security, economic implications of FLW, and environmental footprints of FLW. Results: The results show that research on FLW is still marginal in North Africa in general and in Libya and Mauritania in particular. Moreover, while there are some interesting pieces of research on the amount of FLW, environmental and economic impacts of FLW as well as their implications in terms of food security are largely overlooked. Conclusions: Therefore, North African researchers should pay more attention to food wastage issue. Such an endeavor should be supported by research policy in North Africa. Keywords: Agricultural losses, Environment, Food losses, Food security, Food wastage, Food waste, North Africa.

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Food losses and wastes in brazil: a systematic review

Desenvolvimento Socioeconômico em Debate ◽

10.18616/rdsd.v6i1.5878 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 6 (1) ◽

pp. 78

Author(s):

Clandio Favarini Ruviaro ◽

Anaysa Borges ◽

Maycon Farinha ◽

Luciana M Bernardo ◽

Henrique B Morais ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Supply Chain ◽

Food Security ◽

Food Waste ◽

The Other ◽

Accurate Information ◽

Food Supply Chain ◽

Food Loss ◽

The Subject ◽

Food Losses

Globally, it is estimated that approximately a third of the food produced is lost or wasted. Reducing half of these losses would make it possible to increase the availability of food for another 1 billion people. Specifically, in Brazil, the amount of lost and wasted food, if used, would be enough to achieve food security, considering as a restriction for this security, the availability of food for purchase. In this context, the objective is to identify methodologies that measure losses and food waste in Brazil. For this, a systematic review of the subject was made. It can be observed that there are a few studies that quantify food losses and wastage in the country. The largest concentration of these studies is in the distribution and consumption stages of the food supply chain. Information is available from food lost and waste, mainly in the consumption and distribution phases. Otherwise, in the other phases of the supply chain, food loss and waste values in Brazil are still incipient or non-existent. Studies that identify these values can contribute to the generation of more accurate information on the subject, being able to raise the values referring to food loss and waste of the country.Keywords: supply chain; food secutity; sustainability; hungry.Perdas e desperdícios alimentares no Brasil: uma revisão sistemáticaRESUMOEstima-se que, globalmente, aproximadamente um terço dos alimentos produzidos sejam perdidos ou desperdiçados. No entanto, a redução de metade dessas perdas tornaria possível aumentar a disponibilidade de alimentos para mais 1 bilhão de pessoas. Especificamente, no Brasil, a quantidade de alimentos perdidos e desperdiçados, se utilizados, seria suficiente para alcançar a segurança alimentar, considerando como uma restrição para essa segurança, a disponibilidade de alimentos para compra. Nesse contexto, o objetivo é identificar metodologias que mensurem perdas e desperdício de alimentos no Brasil. Para isso, foi realizada uma revisão sistemática do assunto. Pode-se observar que existem poucos estudos que quantificam perdas e desperdícios de alimentos no país. A maior concentração desses estudos está nos estágios de distribuição e consumo da cadeia de suprimento de alimentos. As informações estão disponíveis a partir de alimentos perdidos e desperdiçados, principalmente nas fases de consumo e distribuição. Nas demais fases da cadeia de suprimentos, os valores de perda e desperdício de alimentos no Brasil ainda são incipientes ou inexistentes. Estudos que identifiquem esses valores podem contribuir para a geração de informações mais precisas sobre o assunto, podendo elevar os valores referentes à perda e desperdício de alimentos no país.Palavras-chave: cadeia de suprimentos; segurança alimentar; sustentabilidade; fome.

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Food Consumption in Romania - Quantitative and Qualitative Aspects of Food Security

Bulletin of University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca Agriculture ◽

10.15835/buasvmcn-agr:9606 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 71 (1) ◽

pp. 57-64

Author(s):

Viorica GAVRILÄ‚ ◽

Mihaela KRUSZLICIKA ◽

Vergina CHIRITESCU

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Food Consumption ◽

Food Availability ◽

Fruits And Vegetables ◽

Agricultural Trade ◽

Animal Origin ◽

Local Market ◽

Positive Aspect ◽

Access To Food ◽

Physical Access

Food security ensurance is determined both by food availability, which depends on agrifood sector and on agricultural trade and by the access to food, which results mainly from the incomes and population purchase power, but also on other factors for example the local market supply, the physical access of persons to food, etc. Starting from these considerents, the paperâ€™s aim is to identify the way in which the internal supply is able to assure the population access to balanced food diet, based on valuable components, respecting the nutritional specialists. Using the methabolical coeficients for macronutrients, it was realised their conversion or equivalence into calories, fact which permitted the assessment of the evolution in time of level and structure of the caloric input. Results obtained show a qualitative modification of the caloric input, by diminution of the level of calories coming from glucides and slight increase of the protein caloric level, mainly the animal origin ones. In the strucuture we can see as a positive aspect, a modification in the caloric share of the glucides, by increase of the input from fruits and vegetables. Structurally at the level of year 2011 the caloric share of nutrient factors is inscribing in the values recommended by nutritionists but there are identified also certain negative tendences which in the future could generate a degradation ofÂ dietâ€™s calorie balance.

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EXPLORING HOUSEHOLD FOOD WASTE ISSUE IN ALGERIA

AGROFOR ◽

10.7251/agreng1701055a ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 2 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Samir Ali AROUS ◽

Roberto CAPONE ◽

Philipp DEBS ◽

Yasmina HADDADI ◽

Hamid EL BILALI ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Waste ◽

Behavioral Change ◽

Exploratory Study ◽

Fruits And Vegetables ◽

Relative Importance ◽

Household Food ◽

Mediterranean Countries ◽

Food Management ◽

Food Losses ◽

The Impact

Food losses and waste (FLW) is a phenomenon that has been underestimated, littlestudied and poorly documented in the Mediterranean countries. Actually, nopolicies, laws, strategies and action plans have been implemented to reduce FLWin Algeria. This exploratory study aims to evaluate household FW in Algeria. Anonline survey with 323 Algerian households was conducted in February-April 2015to assess the knowledge and relative importance of FW; attitudes towards FW;impacts of behaviors regarding food and food management; FW quantity andvalue; as well as barriers and willingness to behavioral change. Sample is genderbalanced(54% female and 46% male) and rather young (93% are less than 44 yearsold) while most of respondents have high education level. Results show thathousehold planning and shopping activities are significant forecasters of FW.Attitudes may change according to periods especially in Ramadan (88% ofrespondents declare that FW increase during this month) and to the category offood (most wasted product groups are fruits and vegetables, cereals and bakeryproducts). Most of the respondents have a good understanding of “use by” fooddate label while they still confuse the meaning of “best before”. It seems that FW iswidespread in Algeria as only 1% of respondents declare that they do not waste anyfood. About 15% declare that their households throw away at least 250 g of stillconsumable food each week. Even though Algeria is considered as a developingcountry, an important part of food wastage occurs at consumer level as in high andmiddle income countries. In order to reduce food waste, efforts should be directedtowards providing consumers with skills and tools to deal with their food-relatedactivities and to better consider the impact of food waste on the environment andeconomy.

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Food security stocks and the WTO legal framework

10.2499/9780896292499_09 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)

Keyword(s):

Food Security ◽

Legal Framework

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Socioeconomic and Geographic Pattern of Food Consumption and Dietary Diversity among Children Aged 6–23 Months Old in Ghana

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13020603 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 603

Author(s):

Isaac Anane ◽

Fengying Nie ◽

Jiaqi Huang

Keyword(s):

Socioeconomic Status ◽

Food Consumption ◽

Child Nutrition ◽

Fruits And Vegetables ◽

Dietary Diversity ◽

Geographical Location ◽

Final Analysis ◽

Food Groups ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Dairy Consumption

Dietary inadequacy is a major challenge among young children in Ghana. Nutritional policies are required for optimum child nutrition and development. This study explored food consumption and dietary diversity by socioeconomic status and geographical location among children aged 6–23 months in Ghana. We used the latest national representative, cross-sectional data from the Ghana Demographic and Health Survey (GDHS-2014). A total of 887 children aged 6–23 months were used in the final analysis. The survey collected data on children’s food consumption through their mothers in the 24 h recall method. Multiple logistic regression models were used to assess the relationship between socioeconomic status and geographical location with food consumption and adequate dietary diversity after adjusting for control variables. The study revealed an association between specific food item consumption, food groups, and dietary diversity by socioeconomic and geographic characteristics. However, dairy consumption increased faster than other nutritional foods when socioeconomic status increased. Furthermore, the study revealed that children’s chances of consuming particular food items and food groups differed across Ghana’s 10 regions. The average probabilities of consuming adequate dietary diversity between the Greater Accra region and Ashanti region were 43% vs. 8% (p < 0.001). Consumption of grains, root, and tubers were relatively higher but low for Vitamin A-rich fruits and vegetables and legumes and nuts for children aged 6–23 months in Ghana. Overall, the mean dietary diversity score was low (3.39; 95% CI: 3.30–3.49) out of eight food groups, and the prevalence of adequate dietary diversity was 22% only. There is a need for policy interventions to ensure appropriate dietary practices to promote healthy growth of children.

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