We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Sustainable and Healthy Food Systems: The Role of Food Loss and Waste Reduction
Summary
This introductory chapter reviews research on food loss and waste reduction within sustainable food systems, arguing that reducing food waste must align with food security, nutrition, environmental sustainability, and socioeconomic equity goals simultaneously.
Abstract Food loss and waste (FLW) has been on the global development agenda for decades, in different forms to address different objectives. The scattered nature of work on FLW has led to lack of cohesion on how to address the issue to enhance food security and nutrition, environmental, and socioeconomic outcomes. In this introductory chapter, we discuss the motivation and food systems approach to aligning FLW reduction with desirable outcomes of sustainable food systems transformations. We discuss the key takeaways from the book across this chapter that frames the FLW issues, explains FLW pathways, and examines FLW reduction and management approaches.
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Sustainability outcomes of the United States food system: A systematic review
This systematic review identified 93 sustainability outcomes of the U.S. food system across environmental, socio-economic, and health themes, finding that socio-economic outcomes are significantly underrepresented in the literature. The study reveals that food systems research remains siloed across disciplines, with natural science journals rarely addressing social dimensions. Environmental contaminants including microplastics are among the emerging concerns that span multiple outcome categories in food system sustainability.
A Shift to Healthy and Sustainable Consumption Patterns
This chapter examines how global food consumption patterns need to shift toward healthier and more sustainable choices. Researchers found that current trends toward energy-dense, resource-intensive diets and high food waste levels are unsustainable, but that evolving food systems and new technologies offer opportunities for change. The study emphasizes that reducing food waste and choosing less resource-intensive foods could benefit both human health and the environment, including reducing plastic packaging waste.
Global Food Security and Sustainability Issues: The Road to 2030 from Nutrition and Sustainable Healthy Diets to Food Systems Change
This review examines the challenges of achieving global food security through sustainable food systems by 2030. It discusses how shifting to plant-based proteins and reducing food waste through system-wide transformation are essential steps, but lack of practical tools and skills remains a major obstacle.
Food Waste and Nutrition Quality in the Context of Public Health: A Scoping Review
This scoping review examined the intersection of food waste, nutrition quality, and plastic waste in the context of public health. Researchers identified four main themes linking these topics and found that while food sustainability messaging exists, more integrated approaches are needed to address the combined public health challenges of food waste, nutritional quality, and plastic contamination in the food system.
A comprehensive review of food waste valorization for the sustainable management of global food waste
This review examines methods for turning food waste into valuable products as part of sustainable waste management. While not directly about microplastics, the topic is relevant because food waste and plastic waste are often mixed together in waste streams, and food packaging is a major source of microplastic contamination. Better food waste management could help reduce the spread of microplastics that often accompany food waste into the environment.