Sustainability Assessment of Food Waste Prevention Measures: Review of Existing Evaluation Practices

Goossens, Yanne; Wegner, Alina; Schmidt, Thomas

doi:10.3389/fsufs.2019.00090

Cited by 64 publications

(60 citation statements)

References 37 publications

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“…In the last step of the project, the efficiency of the suggested measures suggested will be assessed by means of identifying (1) the associated potential of avoidable food losses, (2) their costs and (3) the implications of implementing them. Results of this evaluation, based on the methodological concepts of [40], will be available in 2020. The retail sector's high quality standards for size, colour, shape and content of pesticide residues of fruit and vegetable are a major driver of food losses at farm level.…”

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confidence: 99%

Approaches to Reduce Food Losses in German Fruit and Vegetable Production

2019

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Food losses occur in all agricultural value chains, but are especially high in the fruit and vegetable sector. This study quantifies losses of selected fruits (strawberries, apples) and vegetables (lettuce, carrots), identifies the main reasons for food losses, and assesses effective measures for the reduction of these losses. Data were collected in structured interviews with value chain actors from production to food retail and validated in regional expert workshops. Results show that in average years, about 25% of the analysed vegetables are lost at farm level. The range of fruit losses differs widely, from 15% to 20% for strawberries and only 6% to 16% for apples. Weather is a major factor for crop losses, since it can strongly affect product appearance and hence marketability in the food retail sector. There is a lack of alternative market channels for products, which do not meet the high-quality standards for fresh products in the retail sector. Effective measures to reduce food losses are protected cultivation in greenhouses or under hail nets, continuous cooling systems, improved packaging and training of staff. More cooperation and coordination between producers, wholesalers and retailers could also increase the share of marketable products.

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confidence: 99%

Approaches to Reduce Food Losses in German Fruit and Vegetable Production

2019

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“…To achieve this target, many measures have been proposed and implemented so far. In a literature review, Goossens et al looked at methodologies to evaluate food waste prevention measures, concluding that economic, environmental or social assessments are often incomplete or missing [11]. This prevents practitioners and decision-makers from prioritising food waste measures.…”

Section: Setting the Scenementioning

confidence: 99%

“…This prevents practitioners and decision-makers from prioritising food waste measures. Building on recent developments at the EU level, such as the report from Caldeira et al [12], Goossens et al put forward a sustainability assessment framework to evaluate food waste prevention measures [11]. To illustrate its use and emphasise the additional value of the proposed framework, the present paper applies this framework to a case study in the food service sector-more particularly, to a food waste measure applied in hotel kitchens.…”

Section: Setting the Scenementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The evaluation follows the methodology outlined in [11,12]. A food waste prevention measure is hereby evaluated based on its effectiveness (food waste reduction potential) and its sustainability across the environmental, the economic and the social dimension ( Figure 2).…”

Section: Sustainability Assessment Framework For Evaluating Measuresmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Evaluation framework with the different elements taken up in the assessment, adapted from Goossens et al[11].…”

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confidence: 99%

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Evaluation of Food Waste Prevention Measures—The Use of Fish Products in the Food Service Sector

2020

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This study presents two food waste prevention measures focusing on the interface between the food service sector and its food suppliers. Through a case study on procuring salmon by a hotel kitchen, the use of food products with different convenience grades is examined. The convenience grade of the fish bought (whole salmon, fillets or portions) determines where along the food chain filleting and/or portioning takes place and thus where food waste from cut-offs occurs. To reduce food waste, we propose purchasing filleted or portioned salmon rather than whole salmon. For both measures, effectiveness is calculated by looking at food waste reductions along the food chain, achieved by a better use of filleting and portioning cut-offs. Next, sustainability across the environmental, economic and social dimension is evaluated by calculating (a) avoided embodied environmental impacts and economic costs, (b) avoided food waste disposal environmental impacts and economic costs and (c) environmental, economic and social impacts and costs associated with implementing the measures. Purchasing fillets or portions instead of whole salmon leads to food waste reductions of −89% and −94%, respectively. The interventions further lead to net climate change impact savings along the salmon chain of −16% (fillets) and −18% (portions). Whereas the kitchen saves costs when switching to fillets (−13%), a switch to portions generates additional net costs (+5%). On a social level, no effects could be determined based on the information available. However, good filleting skills would no longer be needed in the kitchen and a time consuming preparation can be sourced out.

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