All entities of the food supply chain should be responsible for counteracting food waste, therefore a need arises for joint initiatives in this area. To reduce food waste, businesses should be ...supported with a number of procedures for the efficient use of food for social purposes that shall be consistent with the law in force.
Although they can bring about some losses, the following factors neither pose a threat to human health nor affect the donation of food for social purposes: wrong labelling of packages, food product wrong weight, close-to-end expiration date as well as mechanical damage to bulk packages. The purpose of this study is to identify such points at each of the four stages of the food supply chain (primary production, processing, distribution, sale) where food losses can be prevented by donating food to those who need it.
A total of 15 Recovery Points were identified at the above mentioned four stages of the food supply chain. Food recovered there is safe to human health, so it can be donated for social purposes.
Postharvest losses, which occur between harvest and consumption of agricultural commodities, are major causes of food waste. Minimizing food loss helps provide nutritious food for animals and humans, ...and alleviate adverse environmental effects on food production. These losses are often related to the presence of postharvest pathogens, including fungi and bacteria, which typically start by infecting crops in the field as well as during postharvest chain. Control of these pathogens relies on development of tools that ensure their early and accurate detection. Among these is loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), a molecular method for pathogen detection. LAMP characteristics of rapidity, specificity and simplicity have encouraged development of a number of LAMP assays for detection of postharvest pathogens. Each LAMP assay allows to detect a specific genetic region of the target microorganism, which can be directly related to mycotoxin production, fungicide resistance and phytotoxicity. The LAMP amplicons are rapidly visualized, either at a specific timepoint, or in real-time by taking measurements throughout reaction, thereby necessitating less sophisticated facilities than those needed for PCR assays. In addition, many studies have developed simple protocols for the direct detection of pathogens on fresh produce. This paper explains the LAMP reaction, and its importance for postharvest detection of fungi and bacteria. Previous studies that have developed LAMP assays are also discussed.
The most recent strategies available for upcycling agri‐food losses and waste (FLW) into functional bioplastics and advanced materials are reviewed and the valorization of food residuals are put in ...perspective, adding to the water–food–energy nexus. Low value or underutilized biomass, biocolloids, water‐soluble biopolymers, polymerizable monomers, and nutrients are introduced as feasible building blocks for biotechnological conversion into bioplastics. The latter are demonstrated for their incorporation in multifunctional packaging, biomedical devices, sensors, actuators, and energy conversion and storage devices, contributing to the valorization efforts within the future circular bioeconomy. Strategies are introduced to effectively synthesize, deconstruct and reassemble or engineer FLW‐derived monomeric, polymeric, and colloidal building blocks. Multifunctional bioplastics are introduced considering the structural, chemical, physical as well as the accessibility of FLW precursors. Processing techniques are analyzed within the fields of polymer chemistry and physics. The prospects of FLW streams and biomass surplus, considering their availability, interactions with water and thermal stability, are critically discussed in a near‐future scenario that is expected to lead to next‐generation bioplastics and advanced materials.
The state‐of‐the‐art strategies to upcycle agri‐food losses and wastes (FLW) into advanced materials are reviewed. The right accent is put on the feasible means of effectively deconstructing and reassembling, synthesizing, or engineering FLW‐derived monomeric, polymeric, and colloidal building blocks targeting multifunctional, sustainable bioplastics. The food–materials–energy nexus is put in perspective as far as the next‐generation bioplastics fitting the circular bioeconomy.
Reducing food losses by intelligent food logistics Jedermann, Reiner; Nicometo, Mike; Uysal, Ismail ...
Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series A: Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences,
06/2014, Volume:
372, Issue:
2017
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
The need to feed an ever-increasing world population makes it obligatory to reduce the millions of tons of avoidable perishable waste along the food supply chain. A considerable share of these losses ...is caused by non-optimal cold chain processes and management. This Theme Issue focuses on technologies, models and applications to monitor changes in the product shelf life, defined as the time remaining until the quality of a food product drops below an acceptance limit, and to plan successive chain processes and logistics accordingly to uncover and prevent invisible or latent losses in product quality, especially following the first-expired-first-out strategy for optimized matching between the remaining shelf life and the expected transport duration. This introductory article summarizes the key findings of this Theme Issue, which brings together research study results from around the world to promote intelligent food logistics. The articles include three case studies on the cold chain for berries, bananas and meat and an overview of different post-harvest treatments. Further contributions focus on the required technical solutions, such as the wireless sensor and communication system for remote quality supervision, gas sensors to detect ethylene as an indicator of unwanted ripening and volatile components to indicate mould infections. The final section of this introduction discusses how improvements in food quality can be targeted by strategic changes in the food chain.
Circular Bioeconomy
The food–materials–energy nexus is most relevant to the circular bioeconomy and is reviewed in the context of next‐generation bioplastics by Caio G. Otoni, Orlando J. Rojas, and ...co‐workers in article number 2102520. The state‐of‐the‐art strategies used to upcycle agri‐food losses and wastes (FLW) into multifunctional and advanced materials rely on the deconstruction and reassembly, synthesis, and engineering of FLW‐derived monomeric, polymeric, and colloidal building blocks.
In recent years, the question of food losses and waste (FLW) has been the subject of much debate. When it comes to food security, the preservation of natural resources and potential economic ...benefits, the general public, scientists and politicians all agree that FLW needs to be reduced. However, there are numerous inconsistencies in terms of how the problem of FLW has been presented and analysed. This article aims to highlight these inconsistencies and help identify the areas of research that could contribute to a more effective handling of FLW issues. The article examines: (i) whether the choice of definition(s) adopted are consistent with the problem(s) targeted; (ii) the efficiency of the methodologies used to address the issues raised, and (iii) the relevance of arguments put forward concerning FLW reduction.
•A framework of analysis of existing definitions is proposed.•Consistency needs to be maintained between selected definitions and target issues.•Quantifying alone cannot show the impact of FLW on food security and the environment.•Arguments to reduce FLW need to be clarified because any action involves trade-offs.
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.
► First MFA of food losses over the entire food chain in Switzerland. ► Differentiation into 22 food categories. ► Differentiation into avoidable, possibly avoidable, and unavoidable food losses. ► ...Conversion of mass flows into energy flows.
A key element in making our food systems more efficient is the reduction of food losses across the entire food value chain. Nevertheless, food losses are often neglected. This paper quantifies food losses in Switzerland at the various stages of the food value chain (agricultural production, postharvest handling and trade, processing, food service industry, retail, and households), identifies hotspots and analyses the reasons for losses. Twenty-two food categories are modelled separately in a mass and energy flow analysis, based on data from 31 companies within the food value chain, and from public institutions, associations, and from the literature. The energy balance shows that 48% of the total calories produced (edible crop yields at harvest time and animal products, including slaughter waste) is lost across the whole food value chain. Half of these losses would be avoidable given appropriate mitigation measures. Most avoidable food losses occur at the household, processing, and agricultural production stage of the food value chain. Households are responsible for almost half of the total avoidable losses (in terms of calorific content).
Reducing food losses and waste is considered to be one of the most promising measures to improve food security in the coming decades. Food losses also affect our use of resources, such as freshwater, ...cropland, and fertilisers. In this paper we estimate the global food supply losses due to lost and wasted food crops, and the resources used to produce them. We also quantify the potential food supply and resource savings that could be made by reducing food losses and waste. We used publically available global databases to conduct the study at the country level.
We found that around one quarter of the produced food supply (614kcal/cap/day) is lost within the food supply chain (FSC). The production of these lost and wasted food crops accounts for 24% of total freshwater resources used in food crop production (27m3/cap/yr), 23% of total global cropland area (31×10−3ha/cap/yr), and 23% of total global fertiliser use (4.3kg/cap/yr). The per capita use of resources for food losses is largest in North Africa & West-Central Asia (freshwater and cropland) and North America & Oceania (fertilisers). The smallest per capita use of resources for food losses is found in Sub-Saharan Africa (freshwater and fertilisers) and in Industrialised Asia (cropland). Relative to total food production, the smallest food supply and resource losses occur in South & Southeast Asia.
If the lowest loss and waste percentages achieved in any region in each step of the FSC could be reached globally, food supply losses could be halved. By doing this, there would be enough food for approximately one billion extra people. Reducing the food losses and waste would thus be an important step towards increased food security, and would also increase the efficiency of resource use in food production.
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► Losses of food supply and related resources were studied at a global scale. ► Around 1/4 of the produced food (in terms of kcal) is lost in the food supply chain. ► 23–24% of total use of water, cropland and fertilisers are used to produce losses. ► Around half of the losses could be prevented with a more efficient supply chain. ► One billion extra people could be fed if food crop losses could be halved.
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