{"title":"Institutional food waste and the circular economy: Is it time to revisit produce waste in global food supply chains?","authors":"Rukshan Mehta , Christie Oh","doi":"10.1016/j.gfs.2024.100819","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Food waste generated by large systems including hospitals and postsecondary institutions can greatly influence the reduction, reuse, recycling, and recovery of produce and other perishable waste items that are essential to human health and nutrition. We position the issue of food waste as it pertains to the circular economy to support the provision of fruits and vegetables through networks of food donating charitable organizations such as food banks in Canada. Similar models can be replicated in other settings where either government or private citizens can work with institutional partners to divert food susceptible to loss or waste to promote rescue. Added benefits include climate change reduction and support for improved planetary health. Wide-scale thinking is needed about these issues given the pertinence of global warming and climate change, and the need to sustain improved nutrition for our growing populations impacted by chronic diseases across the lifespan. Further study is needed to estimate the true quality and quantity (volume) of waste and benefits associated with diversion to human consumption related purposes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48741,"journal":{"name":"Global Food Security-Agriculture Policy Economics and Environment","volume":"43 ","pages":"Article 100819"},"PeriodicalIF":9.8000,"publicationDate":"2024-12-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Global Food Security-Agriculture Policy Economics and Environment","FirstCategoryId":"97","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211912424000816","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"FOOD SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Food waste generated by large systems including hospitals and postsecondary institutions can greatly influence the reduction, reuse, recycling, and recovery of produce and other perishable waste items that are essential to human health and nutrition. We position the issue of food waste as it pertains to the circular economy to support the provision of fruits and vegetables through networks of food donating charitable organizations such as food banks in Canada. Similar models can be replicated in other settings where either government or private citizens can work with institutional partners to divert food susceptible to loss or waste to promote rescue. Added benefits include climate change reduction and support for improved planetary health. Wide-scale thinking is needed about these issues given the pertinence of global warming and climate change, and the need to sustain improved nutrition for our growing populations impacted by chronic diseases across the lifespan. Further study is needed to estimate the true quality and quantity (volume) of waste and benefits associated with diversion to human consumption related purposes.
期刊介绍:
Global Food Security plays a vital role in addressing food security challenges from local to global levels. To secure food systems, it emphasizes multifaceted actions considering technological, biophysical, institutional, economic, social, and political factors. The goal is to foster food systems that meet nutritional needs, preserve the environment, support livelihoods, tackle climate change, and diminish inequalities. This journal serves as a platform for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to access and engage with recent, diverse research and perspectives on achieving sustainable food security globally. It aspires to be an internationally recognized resource presenting cutting-edge insights in an accessible manner to a broad audience.