Food waste reduction in the food services sector – practical recommendations for courses of action
- 20.07.2022
- English Articles
- Manuela Kuntscher
- Yanne Goossens
- Thomas Schmidt
Peer reviewed / Manuscript (original) submitted: 12. August 2021 / Revision accepted: 22. November 2021
Introduction
The production of our food requires the use of, among others, cultivated land, seeds, water, fertilizers and pesticides. In addition, greenhouse gases are produced along the entire value chain [1, 2]. Thus, economic and ecological resources are embodied in our food. If food becomes food waste, then the resources embodied in them are also disposed of. Consequently, the reduction of food waste can reduce the environmental impact.
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) from the United Nations therefore call for reducing food waste along the entire value chain (SDG 12.3) [3, 4]. Reducing food waste is also included in the European Waste Framework Directive in 2018 [5]. At retail and consumer level, a specific target of halving food waste by 2030 has been set. In 2019 the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture published the 'National Strategy for Food Waste Reduction' to implement the reduction of food waste on a national level. In addition to primary production, processing, wholesale and retail as well as private households, this strategy also includes the food service sector [6]. ...
Abstract
This article presents the results of the project Efficient Lowering of Food Waste in the Out-of-Home Sector (ELoFoS). Within the framework of this project, surveys were conducted using standardized questionnaires and guided interviews with experts. The aim was to develop practical recommendations for action to reduce food waste in food services with a self-service buffet and/or a food-serving counter. A total of 32 questionnaires and 7 expert interviews were carried out with kitchen managers from the care and business sector (rehabilitation hospitals, company canteens) were evaluated. Three recommendations for action could be established: (1) implementation of waste monitoring, (2) encouragement of kitchen and service staff, (3) optimisation of the guest area. In addition, various measures were identified for the implementation of the last two recommendations for action.
Keywords: food service sector, community catering, sustainability, food waste, waste monitoring
