Food Waste and Nutrition Quality in the Context of Public Health: A Scoping Review

Sustainability initiatives in inpatient psychiatry: tackling food waste

Background

Food plays a dual role in promoting human health and environmental sustainability. Yet, current food systems jeopardize both. Food waste poses a major global challenge due to its significant economic, social, and environmental impacts. Healthcare facilities generate the largest amounts of food waste compared to other forms of catering provision. Food waste correlates with environmental unsustainability and diminished patient satisfaction, compounding the prevalent challenge of hospital malnutrition and contributing to suboptimal patient outcomes.

Materials and methods

In a three-year interventional study (2020-2022) at a psychiatric tertiary care center, we assessed and mitigated food waste using evidence-based measures. We conducted systematic food wastage audits over three years (2020-2022) in May and June, each lasting four weeks. Costs were analyzed comprehensively, covering food, staff, infrastructure, and disposal. Environmental impact was assessed using Umweltbelastungspunkte (UBP) and CO2e/kg emissions, alongside water usage (H2O - l/kg).

Results

Economic losses due to food wastage were substantial, primarily from untouched plates and partially consumed dinners, prompting meal planning adjustments. Despite a >3% increase in meals served, both food waste mass and costs decreased by nearly 6%. Environmental impact indicators showed a reduction >20%. Vegetables, salad, and fruits constituted a significant portion of waste. Overproduction minimally contributed to waste, validating portion control efficacy.

Conclusion

Our study highlights significant economic and environmental losses due to hospital food waste, emphasizing the importance of resource efficiency. The strategies outlined offer promising avenues for enhanced efficiency. The decrease in food waste observed over the three-year period underscores the potential for improvement.

The quantity and composition of household food waste: Implications for policy

Studies on food waste in Southeast Asia are currently limited, with a notable absence of comparative analyses investigating the volume and composition of food waste in urban and rural areas through direct measurement. This study aimed to analyze the differences in the quantity, composition, and drivers of household food waste between urban and rural areas. Household food waste was assessed through waste compositional analysis for food and diaries for beverages. This cross-sectional study included 215 households in Bogor Regency, Indonesia. Comparisons between the two areas were performed using an independent t-test. The average of household food waste in Bogor Regency was 77 kg/cap/year (edible 37.7%, inedible 62.3%). Household food waste was higher in urban areas (79.4 kg/cap/year) than in rural areas (45.8 kg/cap/year) (p<0.001). Cereals, tubers and their derivatives (especially rice) and vegetables were the major contributors to edible food waste, whereas fruits were the main contributors to inedible food waste in both areas. Food waste drivers were spoilage/staleness/moldiness, changes in texture, short shelf life, cooking too much, and plate leftovers. Households in urban areas had a higher quantity of food waste and disposed of more edible food than those in rural areas. Meanwhile, the drivers of food waste generation were similar in both areas. Understanding the quantity, composition, and drivers of household food waste is pivotal for developing effective awareness campaigns and fostering behavioral changes to prevent household food waste.

Implementation of sustainable food service systems in hospitals to achieve current sustainability goals: A scoping review

BACKGROUND

Food waste is a pivotal contributor to environmental degradation in the modern world. Vast amounts of food are wasted and many individual efforts and collective initiatives being underway to deal with this challenge. Hospitals are institutions that produce and provide food, but at the same time contribute greatly to food waste. The objective of this scoping review is to present available data regarding quantity of food waste generated in public hospitals and summarizes studies that assess and quantify the greenhouse gas emissions (carbon footprint) associated to food service management in hospitals.

METHODS

A systematic literature research was conducted by two qualified researchers in PubMed, Scopus, ISI Web of Science and Science Direct. The publication date was set to the last ten years, i.e., 2013-2023. All the abstracts retrieved were screened, and the eligible articles were selected after a two-step process. Abstracts from the retrieved full papers' references were also screened for eligibility. The selected papers were included in the final scoping review.

RESULTS

Overall, 2870 studies were identified and 69 were included in the review. Most of the studies (n = 33) assessed the causes and quantified the amount of food waste generated in hospitals. A small number of studies (5) estimated carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2-eq) produced by food waste. Although several studies suggested strategies and measures to reduce the environmental impact of foodservice operations, none of them implemented a comprehensive foodservice management system.

CONCLUSION

This scoping review suggests that hospital diets contribute to food waste and may have a negative environmental impact. There are several internal and external factors and practices that influence positively or negatively the sustainability of hospital food service systems. Systematic efforts are needed to identify and enhance parameters that could improve the environmental footprint of hospitals in terms of more effective management of food waste.

Food and Food Waste Antioxidants: Could They Be a Potent Defence against Parkinson's Disease?

Oxidative stress, an imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and endogenous antioxidants, plays an important role in the development of neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's. The human brain is vulnerable to oxidative stress because of the high rate of oxygen that it needs and the high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are substrates of lipid peroxidation. Natural antioxidants inhibit oxidation and reduce oxidative stress, preventing cancer, inflammation, and neurodegenerative disorders. Furthermore, in the literature, it is reported that antioxidants, due to their possible neuroprotective activity, may offer an interesting option for better symptom management, even Parkinson's disease (PD). Natural antioxidants are usually found in several foods, such as fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, and oil, and in food wastes, such as seeds, peels, leaves, and skin. They can help the system of endogenous antioxidants, protect or repair cellular components from oxidative stress, and even halt lipid, protein, and DNA damage to neurons. This review will examine the extent of knowledge from the last ten years, about the neuroprotective potential effect of natural antioxidants present in food and food by-products, in in vivo and in vitro PD models. Additionally, this study will demonstrate that the pool of dietary antioxidants may be an important tool in the prevention of PD and an opportunity for cost savings in the public health area.

Food Insecurity in Greece and across the Globe: A Narrative Literature Review

Food insecurity comprises a major global public health threat, as its effects are detrimental to the mental, physical, and social aspects of the health and well-being of those experiencing it. We performed a narrative literature review on the magnitude of global food insecurity with a special emphasis on Greece and analyzed the major factors driving food insecurity, taking into consideration also the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. An electronic search of international literature was conducted in three databases. More than 900 million people worldwide experience severe food insecurity, with future projections showing increasing trends. Within Europe, Eastern and Southern European countries display the highest food insecurity prevalence rates, with Greece reporting a prevalence of moderate or severe food insecurity ranging between 6.6% and 8% for the period 2019-2022. Climate change, war, armed conflicts and economic crises are major underlying drivers of food insecurity. Amidst these drivers, the COVID-19 pandemic had a profound impact on food insecurity levels around the globe, through halting economic growth, disrupting food supply chains and increasing unemployment and poverty. Tackling food insecurity through addressing its key drivers is essential to any progress towards succeeding the Sustainable Development Goal of "Zero Hunger".

Food waste-based bio-fertilizers production by bio-based fermenters and their potential impact on the environment

Increasing food waste is creating a global waste (and management) crisis. Globally, ∼1.6 billion tons of food is wasted annually, worth ∼$1.2 trillion. By reducing this waste or by turning it into valuable products, numerous economic advantages can be realized, including improved food security, lower production costs, biodegradable products, environmental sustainability, and cleaner solutions to the growing world's waste and garbage management. The appropriate handling of these detrimental materials can significantly reduce the risks to human health. Food waste is available in biodegradable forms and, with the potential to speed up microbial metabolism effectively, has immense potential in improving bio-based fertilizer generation. Synthetic inorganic fertilizers severely affect human health, the environment, and soil fertility, thus requiring immediate consideration. To address these problems, agricultural farming is moving towards manufacturing bio-based fertilizers via utilizing natural bioresources. Food waste-based bio-fertilizers could help increase yields, nutrients, and organic matter and mitigate synthetic fertilizers' adverse effects. These are presented and discussed in the review.

Food waste to resource recovery: a way of green advocacy

Due to the massive growth in population and urbanization, there has been a huge increase in the volume of food waste globally. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has estimated that around one-third of all food produced each year is wasted. Food waste leads to the emission of greenhouse gas and depletion of the soil fertility. Nevertheless, it has immense potential for the recovery of high-value energy, fuel, and other resources. This review summarizes the latest advances in resource recovery from food waste by using technologies that include food waste-mediated microbial fuel cell (MFC) for bioenergy production. In addition to this, utilization of food waste for the production of bioplastic, biogas, bioethanol, and fertilizer has been also discussed in detail. Competitive benefits and accompanying difficulties of these technologies have also been highlighted. Furthermore, future approaches for more efficient use of food waste for the recovery of valuable resources have been also offered from an interdisciplinary perspective.

Global food loss and waste estimates show increasing nutritional and environmental pressures

Accurate global food losses and waste (FLW) quantification remains challenging owing to limited harmonized global estimates, a lack of comprehensive quantification approaches and an absence of frameworks for addressing FLW challenges. Here we compile a country-level database that assesses FLW across global value chains and quantifies the nutritional and environmental impact of FLW for 121 countries and 20 composite regions. Between 2004 and 2014, FLW increased by a quarter, especially in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia, where increasing nutritional losses of ~550 cal per capita per day impact food security. Growing food imports in high-income countries and fast-growing economies worsened FLW and related environmental footprints in exporting low-income regions. Reducing overconsumption and FLW in high-income countries may have positive effects in middle- and low-income countries, where food exports largely drive farm-level losses. Policies should focus on promoting the profitable reuse of unavoidable FLW while enhancing agricultural production efficiency to improve water use and nutritional security.

Nutrition quality and food and packaging waste associated with the school food system: A pilot, citizen science study in an Irish secondary school

BACKGROUND

School is an important setting for creating healthy and sustainable food environments. Using participatory methods, this pilot study examined food and packaging waste and nutrition quality within the school food system.

METHODS

One secondary school in Ireland participated in a waste audit. Eleven male students (15-17 years) participated as citizen scientists. Students collected waste over 1 day and documented data on waste categories. Nutrition labels were photographed for analysis. Students created a video and participated in a focus group. Quantitative data were summarised using descriptive frequencies. A Nutrient Profile Model was applied to summarise nutrition quality. The focus group discussion was analysed using content analysis.

RESULTS

Highest weights of waste were organic waste (14.2 kg), paper and cardboard (5.0 kg), and hard plastics (4.1 kg). Materials banned by the European Union Single Use Plastics Directive were found. Recycling bins were contaminated with food waste. Nutrition labels from 132 food packages were analysed, of which 115 items (87%) were low-nutrient, energy dense foods. Confectionary, energy bars and desserts and savoury snacks were the most common packaged food groups. Students were not surprised by the unhealthy food choices; however, they were shocked and saddened at the waste practices. Their proposed solutions mapped across individual, community and organisational levels.

CONCLUSIONS

The methodologies allowed successful engagement with students on this topic. The use of unnecessary plastics to serve food, poor waste separation practices, and the production of avoidable waste from low-nutrient, energy-dense products were key issues identified. Students proposed solutions that are achievable in the short-term.

Antibiotic resistance profiling and valorization of food waste streams to starter culture biomass and exopolysaccharides through fed-batch fermentations

The present study evaluated antibiotic resistance (ABR) in bacteria isolated from different food wastes viz., meat slaughterhouses, dairy and restaurants. About 120 strains isolated from the food waste were subjected to ABR screening. More than 50% of all the strains were resistant to Vancomycin, Neomycin and Methicilin, which belong to third-generation antibiotics. Two lactic acid bacteria (LAB) free of ABR were chosen to be used as starter cultures in media formulated from food waste. Food waste combination (FWC-4) was found to be on par with the nutrient broth in biomass production. The non-ABR LAB strains showed excellent probiotic properties, and in the fed-batch fermentation process, adding a nitrogen source (soya protein) enhanced the microbial biomass (3.7 g/l). Additionally, exopolysaccharide production was found to be 2.3 g/l. This study highlights the ABR incidence in food waste medium and its economic advantage for starter culture biomass production.

Graphical abstract

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10068-022-01222-9.

Valorization of Food Waste as Animal Feed: A Step towards Sustainable Food Waste Management and Circular Bioeconomy

The growing population and healthy food demands have led to a rise in food waste generation, causing severe environmental and economic impacts. However, food waste (FW) can be converted into sustainable animal feed, reducing waste disposal and providing an alternative protein source for animals. The utilization of FW as animal feed presents a solution that not only tackles challenges pertaining to FW management and food security but also lessens the demand for the development of traditional feed, which is an endeavour that is both resource and environmentally intensive in nature. Moreover, this approach can also contribute to the circular economy by creating a closed-loop system that reduces the use of natural resources and minimizes environmental pollution. Therefore, this review discusses the characteristics and types of FW, as well as advanced treatment methods that can be used to recycle FW into high-quality animal feed and its limitations, as well as the benefits and drawbacks of using FW as animal feed. Finally, the review concludes that utilization of FW as animal feed can provide a sustainable solution for FW management, food security, preserving resources, reducing environmental impacts, and contributing to the circular bioeconomy.

The effect of nutritional and lifestyle education intervention program on nutrition knowledge, diet quality, lifestyle, and nutritional status of Croatian school children

Introduction

Nutrition education during adolescence has proven effective in increasing knowledge, attitudes, and practices in the diet. The Mediterranean diet has proven health benefits and is proposed as a model of a sustainable diet that is beneficial for health and the environment. Its promotion with the educational program can have a significant effect on improvements in nutrition knowledge, diet quality, and nutritive status of adolescents for their healthy adulthood.

Objective

This study aimed to investigate the effect of the educational program on the nutrition knowledge, diet quality, lifestyle, and nutritional status of school children from the littoral part of Croatia.

Methods

An education-based intervention study was carried out on 2,709 schoolchildren aged 10–12 years (educated/control group: 2617/92). The questionnaire about sociodemographic, anthropometric, dietary, physical activity, screen time, sleep habits, and nutrition knowledge was assessed at the baseline and after a 6- to 9-month follow-up for the medium-term effect of education. Nutrition knowledge was provided after 3 weeks for the short-term education effect assessment.

Results

Educated schoolchildren achieved a significant increase in nutrition knowledge (+75.5%), expressed as a short-term effect of the education and maintained at the 6- to 9-month follow-up (+66.8%, p &lt; 0.001). Follow-up of children significantly improved their nutritional status (underweight −56.6%, normal weight 24.8%, overweight −22.1%, and obesity −57.5%) and physical activity engagement (+13.2%). The proportion of children with a diet highly adhering to the Mediterranean diet significantly doubled (+105.0). Those children with the highest nutrition knowledge at the follow-up significantly improved their nutritional status (+218.9%), participated in organized sports (+204.7%), and had a diet that highly adhered to the MD (+291.8%).

Conclusion

A significantly good medium-term effect of education-based nutrition and lifestyle intervention program on nutrition knowledge, diet quality, lifestyle, and nutritional status of schoolchildren aged 10–12 years was shown. The educational program promoted a Mediterranean diet and lifestyle as a healthy and sustainable way of living, important for children's future health and wellbeing. New research-based approaches are needed for making children more aware and capable of handling the complexity of sustainable living.

Dietary Catering: The Perfect Solution for Rational Food Management in Households

The problem of food waste is a global phenomenon. Food waste occurs at all stages of the food chain. Households, especially in developed countries, produce the most food waste. In order to effectively prevent consumers from throwing food away, it is important to understand the factors that determine these behaviors in the household. The aim of this study was to define the goal of using dietary catering in Polish society as a form of consumption of wholesome meals with a specific calorific value and distribution of macronutrients in the aspect of reducing losses related to food waste. The research was carried out online in the years 2020–2022 among the clients of a catering company. The survey respondents were residents of the Małopolskie Voivodeship in Poland. The research tool was an original anonymous questionnaire in the form of a shortened nutritional interview. On the basis of the obtained results, it can be concluded that factors such as age and gender influence consumer behavior. The reasons for the decision to choose dietary catering were mainly indicated as wasting and throwing away food, as well as inadequate management of food supplies and preparing too large portions of meals.

Waste Management in Qatar: A Systematic Literature Review and Recommendations for System Strengthening

Billions of tons of waste are generated annually, with the amount of waste rapidly increasing and its management expected to worsen. Qatar is a small and wealthy country in the Arabian Peninsula that is undergoing enormous economic and urban development. This study presents the results of a systematic literature review on waste management in Qatar and offers recommendations for system strengthening based on an analysis of the available evidence. The PRISMA guidelines were followed to review literature from the ProQuest and SCOPUS platforms, from which 82 unique publications were analyzed according to ten themes. The results draw upon diverse disciplinary and research focus areas related to waste management, ranging from the generation of value-added products from wastes to the role of religion in waste management awareness. The main recommendations emerging from the available evidence include the need for a holistic approach to address increasing waste generation, which must include diverse stakeholders such as government entities, researchers, and broad community representation for decision making as well as raising awareness for behavior change. Additionally, the main waste types, including construction, food, plastic, and electronic wastes, require specific attention since the cause of generation and type of management varies accordingly. The rise of interest in improving waste management, in particular to work toward meeting the targets of the Qatar National Vision and the National Development Strategy should bring about positive outcomes for strengthening waste management systems.

Metabolic Food Waste as Food Insecurity Factor—Causes and Preventions

The Metabolic Food Waste MFW (kg of food) first developed in 2016 as a new indicator by Serafini and Toti, indicates the amount of food consumed above the nutritional requirements, and the impact of this overconsumption on the environment. It is necessary to identify the causes and to develop potential methods to prevent and reduce MFW, at the same time as increasing consumer awareness about unsustainable diets and changing diet habits towards more environmentally conscious consumption patterns. This study was conducted by collecting and analysing existing reports and studies regarding nutritional requirements, consumer behaviour related to food consumption and food waste, environmental impacts of food waste, and the concept of Metabolic Food Waste. The process of data collection involved searching the studies available online, using keywords related to the subject of MFW and overconsumption. The references in the initial studies consulted were also analysed in order to further identify new data relevant to overconsumption and MFW. The materials studied and analysed related to the environmental impact of MFW were published by E. Toti and M. Serafini in 2016 and 2019; additionally, in order to understand the causes of overconsumption numerous studies were reviewed regarding consumer behaviour, the relationship between economic development and overconsumption, mental health and dietary habits, physical context and dietary habits, genetic predisposition, also childhood and early adulthood environment. By analysing and corroborating external data available for food waste, nutritional requirements, and the environmental impact of food waste and consumer behaviour, we identified as primary causes for MFW the lack of nutritional education and little understanding of the nutritional requirements amongst all categories of consumers, poor access to appropriate food resources or reduced availability of fresh produced food. We conclude that for the quantification of the negative impact of MFW on both the environment and human health we need decisive action to raise consumer awareness for healthy and sustainable diets, together with a uniform worldwide distribution system for nutritious food.

A Food Relief Charter for South Australia-Towards a Shared Vision for Pathways Out of Food Insecurity

Chronic food insecurity persists in high-income countries, leading to an entrenched need for food relief. In Australia, food relief services primarily focus on providing food to meet immediate need. To date, there has been few examples of a vision in the sector towards client outcomes and pathways out of food insecurity. In 2016, the South Australian Government commissioned research and community sector engagement to identify potential policy actions to address food insecurity. This article describes the process of developing a co-designed South Australian Food Relief Charter, through policy–research–practice collaboration, and reflects on the role of the Charter as both a policy tool and a declaration of a shared vision. Methods used to develop the Charter, and resulting guiding principles, are discussed. This article reflects on the intentions of the Charter and suggests how its guiding principles may be used to guide collective actions for system improvement. Whilst a Charter alone may be insufficient to create an integrated food relief system that goes beyond the provision of food, it is a useful first step in enabling a culture where the sector can have a unified voice to advocate for the prevention of food insecurity.

A Conceptual Framework for Food Sharing as Collaborative Consumption

Food waste has increased significantly and become a global issue amidst a growing concern regarding famine in several countries. Food sharing constitutes the solution to the problem provided an appropriate framework is developed that guides its application. The sharing economy was touted as the appropriate framework, yet it is excessively macroscopic to be able to capture the dynamics of food sharing activities. A microscopic framework is required to overcome this problem, the concept of collaborative consumption with its focus on activity level being one potential solution. However, an investigation into how food sharing activities can be viewed as collaborative consumption should be completed. This paper presents an analysis of the relationship between food sharing activities and collaborative consumption. The authors employed a systematic literature review conducted by meta-analysis and content analysis to identify the commonalities between the two and the theories underlying them. The result is a conceptual framework of food sharing activities as a collaborative consumption practice. The framework highlights eight propositions that can explain the intention, performance, and continuity of food sharing activities. At the end of the paper, the authors outline the theoretical and managerial contributions and recommend future research activities.

Effects of Corruption Control on the Number of Undernourished People in Developing Countries

Developing countries will be home to 85% of the world’s population by 2030. Hence, it is important to ensure food security for them. This effort is not easy, as the number of undernourished people (NUP) in the world has increased. We investigated the impact of food and non-production factors on the NUP in developing countries. This study employed secondary data from 57 developing countries between 2002 and 2018. These countries come from three regions, namely Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean. One-step and two-step generalized method of moments (sys-GMM) models were used to analyze the data. The findings showed that the food production index, cereal import dependency ratio, economic globalization index, and human capital index had different effects on the NUP in each region. The excellent news is that corruption control can help developing countries minimize their NUP. Based on the findings, we propose efforts to improve physical and economical food access and control corruption, and developing country governments and the international community must demonstrate a strong commitment to reducing the prevalence of undernourishment.

The Nutritional Content of Rescued Food Conveyed by a Food Aid Organization

Background: The number of food-insecure families in the European Union has increased, resulting in an increasing number of households depending on food assistance programs. The aim in this study was to evaluate the nutrient content of food rescued by a food aid organization that rescues and redistributes fresh or freshly cooked food to low-income households. Methods: To determine the nutritional content of food hampers provided by our case study organization, we weighed all items of food hampers in three weighing rounds over a period of four months. The Food Insecurity Experience Scale (FIES) was applied to measure households’ food insecurity. Results: Our results show that, at our case study food aid organization, food donations substantially contribute to energy, macro, and micronutrient dietary recommendation intake (DRI). Conclusions: When evaluating how these nutrients contribute to alleviating food insecurity of the beneficiary households, we found that the perception of food insecurity is independent of the amount of nutrients served. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study measuring the nutritional content of fresh or freshly cooked rescued food conveyed by a food aid organization.

The Supply of Calories, Proteins, and Fats in Low-Income Countries: A Four-Decade Retrospective Study

Over the past decades, both the quantity and quality of food supply for millions of people have improved substantially in the course of economic growth across the developing world. However, the number of undernourished people has resumed growth in the 2010s amid food supply disruptions, economic slowdowns, and protectionist restrictions to agricultural trade. Having been common to most nations, these challenges to the food security status of the population still vary depending on the level of economic development and national income of individual countries. In order to explore the long-run determinants of food supply transformations, this study employs five-stage multiple regression analysis to identify the strengths and directions of effects of agricultural production parameters, income level, price indices, food trade, and currency exchange on supply of calories, proteins, and fats across 11 groups of agricultural products in 1980-2018. To address the diversity of effects across developing nations, the study includes 99 countries of Asia, Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa categorized as low-income, lower-middle-income, and upper-middle-income economies. It is found that in low-income countries, food supply parameters are more strongly affected by production factors compared to economic and trade variables. The effect of economic factors on the food supply of higher-value food products, such as meat and dairy products, fruit, and vegetables, increases with the rise in the level of income, but it stays marginal for staples in all three groups of countries. The influence of trade factors on food supply is stronger compared to production and economic parameters in import-dependent economies irrelevant of the gross national income per capita. The approach presented in this paper contributes to the research on how food supply patterns and their determinants evolve in the course of economic transformations in low-income countries.