scholarly journals Food Loss and Waste Prevention Strategies from Farm to Fork

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 5443
Author(s):  
Rosalinda Nicastro ◽  
Petronia Carillo

About one-third of the food produced globally for human consumption is lost or wasted each year. This represents a loss of natural resources consumed along the food supply chain that can also have negative impacts on food security. While food loss occurs between production and distribution and is prevalent in low-income countries, food waste occurs mainly at the consumer level, in the retail and food service sectors, and especially in developed countries. Preventing food losses and waste is therefore a potential strategy for better balance food supply and demand and is essential to improve food security while reducing environmental impact and providing economic benefits to the different actors in the food supply chain. In this context, we specifically provide an overview of case studies and examples of legislation from different countries and actions carried out by the various actors in the food chain and by non-profit organisations to effectively prevent and or reduce food loss and waste. We also outline current limitations and possible research avenues. We conclude that the comparison and the integration of knowledge, and the awareness of where along the food chain, for which foods and in which countries the greatest losses are produced, is essential to decide where and how to target efforts in the most effective way.

Foods ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (8) ◽  
pp. 297 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rovshen Ishangulyyev ◽  
Sanghyo Kim ◽  
Sang Lee

The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) reported that approximately one-third of all produced foods (1.3 billion tons of edible food) for human consumption is lost and wasted every year across the entire supply chain. Significant impacts of food loss and waste (FLW) have increased interest in establishing prevention programs around the world. This paper aims to provide an overview of FLW occurrence and prevention. Economic, political, cultural, and socio-demographic drivers of FLW are described, highlighting the global variation. This approach might be particularly helpful for scientists, governors, and policy makers to identify the global variation and to focus on future implications. The main focus here was to identify the cause of the FLW occurrence throughout the food supply chain. We have created a framework for FLW occurrence at each stage of the food supply chain. Several feasible solutions are provided based on the framework.


2002 ◽  
Vol 85 (3) ◽  
pp. 762-767 ◽  
Author(s):  
Graham Brookes

Abstract The use of the technology of genetic modification (GM) in European agriculture and the food supply chain is currently controversial. Because of strong anti-GM technology sentiments, the use of ingredients derived from plants containing GM have largely been eliminated from foods manufactured for direct human consumption by the food supply chain in much of the European Union (EU). During the past year, the attention of those opposed to the technology has turned to the use of GM ingredients in livestock production systems by incorporation of GM soy and maize in animal feed. A discussion is presented of the key issues relating to this subject, focusing on how supplies of GM or non-GM products are segregated or how their identities are preserved. The discussion is centered on GM maize and soybeans into which agronomic traits, such as herbicide tolerance and/or insect resistance, have been incorporated. These are currently the only crops into which some varieties containing GM have been approved for use in the EU.


2020 ◽  
pp. 135-154
Author(s):  
Trinidad Vázquez Ruano ◽  
Juan Latorre Ruiz

The work we present addresses the new challenges that arise in the European framework regarding the agri-food chain, following the recent approval of Directive (EU) 2019/633 of 17 April on unfair trading practices in business-to-business relationships in the agricultural and food supply chain. The European Commission has dealt with small and medium-sized food and agricultural companies, producers and farmers in the food supply chain who represent a vulnerable sector in the agri-food supply chain. The new normative text aims to limit the possible unfair trading practices that are carried out in the supply chain and that involve the alteration of the equal opportunities of small and medium-sized food and agricultural companies, producers and farmers. Fundamentally due to the diverse negotiation capacity, in accordance with the proposals for the modernisation of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beth Armstrong ◽  
Lucy King ◽  
Robin Clifford ◽  
Mark Jitlal

Food and You 2 is a biannual survey which measures self-reported consumer knowledge, attitudes and behaviours related to food safety and other food issues amongst adults in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The survey is primarily carried out online using a methodology known as ‘push-to-web’. Fieldwork was conducted between 20 November 2020 and 21 January 2021. A total of 5,900 adults from 3,955 households across England, Wales and Northern Ireland completed the survey. Topics covered in the Food and You 2: Wave 2 Key Findings report include: Trust in FSA and the food supply chain Concerns about food Food security Eating out and takeaways Food allergy, intolerance, and other hypersensitivities Food safety in the home


2022 ◽  
pp. 123-150
Author(s):  
Suzita Ramli ◽  
Jun Xian Wong

Transmission of hazardous materials could be aggravated by inappropriate handling and storage practices. This results in cross-contamination to foodstuff or cooking utensils. The introduced hazards in the food supply chain might lead to client and reputation loss. The implementation of food safety is necessary to secure safety concerns. All employees should take initiative to be aware and have good attitudes regarding proper hygiene and sanitary practices to assure their product integrity and safety for human consumption. Therefore, this chapter delivered the appropriate and standard food safety protocols to all individuals involved in food storage, preparation, and serving. The scope was structured into (1) identification of hazardous ingredients, (2) purchasing and receiving raw materials, (3) transporting and storage, (4) cooking and reheating, (5) food serving and displaying, (6) leftover storage, and (7) cleaning and sanitation.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (19) ◽  
pp. 7890
Author(s):  
Hao Yuan Chan ◽  
Sarina Abdul Halim-Lim ◽  
Tai Boon Tan ◽  
Nitty Hirawaty Kamarulzaman ◽  
Adi Ainurzaman Jamaludin ◽  
...  

The sustainability of food security is a global concern, and one of the priorities related to it is the ability to identify effective efforts that can protect food security along the food supply chain (FSC). The present study demystifies the relation of sustainability and food security and structurally identifies the sustainable drivers, and the pragmatic interventions that can critically contribute to the sustainability of food security within each stage of the FSC. A systematic review of articles from six databases was implemented. Thematic analysis was engaged to detect the sustainable drivers and interventions practised at each stage in the FSC for food security purposes. Six main themes of the drivers and interventions were derived from the analysis: food security governance involvement, input resource management, output management, information sharing, income, and technology. The result identifies the potential that quality management has on the mediating effect towards sustainable food security, through which a conceptual model for sustainable food security in the FSC was thus developed. It is deduced that mapping and categorizing the drivers and intervention of sustainable food securities could help deepen the understanding of effective and innovative practices towards food security in the FSC.


Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 767 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Hoehn ◽  
María Margallo ◽  
Jara Laso ◽  
Isabel García-Herrero ◽  
Alba Bala ◽  
...  

Recently, important efforts have been made to define food loss management strategies. Most strategies have mainly been focused on mass and energy recovery through mixed food loss in centralised recovery models. This work aims to highlight the need to address a decentralised food loss management, in order to manage the different fractions and on each of the different stages of the food supply chain. For this purpose, an energy flow analysis is made, through the calculation of the primary energy demand of four stages and 11 food categories of the Spanish food supply chain in 2015. The energy efficiency assessment is conducted under a resource use perspective, using the energy return on investment (EROI) ratio, and a circular economy perspective, developing an Energy return on investment – Circular economy index (EROIce), based on a food waste-to-energy-to-food approach. Results suggest that the embodied energy loss consist of 17% of the total primary energy demand, and related to the food categories, the vegetarian diet appears to be the most efficient, followed by the pescetarian diet. Comparing food energy loss values with the estimated energy provided for one consumer, it is highlighted the fact that the food energy loss generated by two to three persons amounts to one person's total daily intake. Moreover, cereals is the category responsible for the highest percentage on the total food energy loss (44%); following by meat, fish and seafood and vegetables. When the results of food energy loss and embodied energy loss are related, it is observed that categories such as meat and fish and seafood have a very high primary energy demand to produce less food, besides that the parts of the food supply chain with more energy recovery potential are the beginning and the end. Finally, the EROIce analysis shows that in the categories of meat, fish and seafood and cereals, anaerobic digestion and composting is the best option for energy recovery. From the results, it is discussed the possibility to developed local digesters at the beginning and end of the food supply chain, as well as to developed double digesters installations for hydrogen recovery from cereals loss, and methane recovery from mixed food loss.


Author(s):  
Jarosław Gołębiewski

The aim of the study was to identify changes in the role of agricultural cooperatives in the food supply chain in Israel. The potential and productivity of agriculture have been characterized. Analysis of transformations in the organizational model of agricultural cooperatives and its position in the food chain was analyzed. Two basic forms of Israeli agricultural cooperatives, kibbutz and mosquito have been characterized. Research has shown that cooperative enterprises are an important set of actors in the food supply chain in Israel.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariantonietta Fiore

PurposeEtymologically, the word “loss” means to be deprived, temporarily or permanently, of use of faculty or an advantage. Therefore, when businesses and entrepreneurs suffer large amount of losses, they can be attributed to a non-effective and non-efficient way of handling assets. Consequently, high levels of bad management can be the cause for food losses (FL) across the agri-food supply chain, food waste (FW) depends on consumers' behavior in organizing food basket. Food loss and food waste (FWL) negatively affect environment and global economy. The purpose of this paper is to propose a holistic 4Es (Ethical_Equity_Ecological_Economic) approach aimed at better managing and treating FLW along the agri-food chain from upstream to downstream stages by addressing entrepreneurs and consumers' approach.Design/methodology/approachThe work focuses on the definition and designing of three possible tools: (1) the implementation of a FL_break-even point model; (2) the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) procedures including a scheme for FL critical points and (3) a consumer's tax FW declaration model. Beginning with these tools, the work tries to define a holistic model by involving all the actors performing in a strictly inter- linked system.FindingsApproaching the FLW issue in a holistic way can ensure the involvement of engaged and productive people at work, lead to strategies and policies aimed at enriching consumers' awareness and entrepreneurs' management approach, and can address the handling of FLW toward Ethical, Equity, Ecological_and Economic (that means effective and efficient) paths.Social implicationsMonitoring and decreasing FLW by implementing the proposed tools from upstream to downstream of the food supply chain can certainly improve the reliability of firm production and investment decisions, and at the same time, behavior of people who feel to be part of an interrelated system. This can help to lighten FLW negative impacts on consumers' income and on pollution as well as indirectly on poverty.Originality/valueThis paper wants to make an innovative attempt to approach the FLW issue in a global and holistic way, while focusing on behavior and awareness of firms/entrepreneurs and consumers/citizens. In addition, the tools and approach defined pave the way for subsequent empirical works to follow.


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