The difference between food loss and food waste
Have you ever taken a moment to ponder the distinction between food loss and food waste? Perhaps you weren't even aware that there is a difference. Surprisingly, there is a significant distinction, and grasping it becomes crucial if our aim is to ensure that a maximum amount of food reaches its ultimate destination—human consumption. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, a staggering 1.3 billion tonnes of food are lost or wasted annually throughout the food supply chain, accounting for about one-third of all the food produced for human consumption.
In developed nations, the majority of wasted food stems from the consumer end of the food chain. In contrast, in developing countries, most of the food lost occurs within the realm of food suppliers and processors.
So what's the difference? Keep reading to find out!
1. The difference between food waste and food loss
Food loss and waste are both problems that need to be addressed, but they are not the same thing. Food waste occurs during the post-harvest passage through the supply chain, from production to distribution.
Food waste refers to discarded or wasted food at the retail and consumer level. A simple rule of thumb for identifying food items as either loss or waste is that food loss refers to edible food mass that is discarded or LOST along the journey from production, post-harvest, storage, transport, and processing stages.
On the other hand, food waste typically occurs when products have reached grocery stores and beyond. Once the food items have become consumer-facing products, the onus is on retailers and consumers to make sure the food items do not go to WASTE but actually get consumed.
2. Causes of food waste and food loss
There are a number of different causes of food loss and waste. Some of the most common causes include:
Poor harvesting and packing practises
Storing food incorrectly
Improper cooling methods
Infrastructure limitations in developing countries
Overproduction, which leads to surplus food
Defective or damaged packaging
Lack of communication between suppliers and retailers
Consumer demand for perfect-looking produce
Inefficient use of food at a household level
Poor consumer behaviour and buying habits
3. How to reduce or prevent food waste and food loss
Food loss and food waste are two different issues, but both can be reduced or prevented. Here are a few ways to address and minimize food waste and food loss:
Buy only what you need: This may seem like common sense, but many people buy food in excess because of sales and special offers that lure them into purchasing items they don't need. Be mindful of what you are buying and only buy what you know you will eat.
Plan your meals: If you plan your meals for the week, you will have a better idea of what you need to buy at the grocery store. This will help you avoid buying too much food.
Use leftovers: If you have leftovers from one meal, use them for another meal later in the week. This will help reduce the amount of food that becomes waste once it is thrown away.
Compost: If you have extra food that you can't eat, compost it instead of throwing it away. While ensuring that food reaches an end consumer would be an ideal outcome, composting still manages to benefit climate and environmental factors. Composting helps create healthy soil and reduces the amount of waste that goes into landfills. You may be thinking that organic materials would simply biodegrade, but the conditions of landfills do not allow for proper respiration, and the organic materials end up emitting high levels of methane that contribute to climate change.
Educate consumers about proper food handling and storage techniques: When it comes to reducing food loss and food waste, one of the best ways is to educate suppliers and consumers about proper food handling and storage techniques. This can prolong the lifespan of food, resulting in a greater likelihood of items being consumed instead of wasted.
Improve harvesting and packing methods: Another way to reduce food loss is to improve harvesting and packing methods. This can help prevent food from being damaged during processing, storage, and transport. With increased safety standards surrounding harvesting and packing methods, the likelihood of products being spoiled prior to hitting store shelves is significantly reduced.
Develop better communication systems between suppliers and retailers: Improving communication between suppliers and retailers can help reduce waste. This is because retailers will have a better idea of what products are available and can plan their orders accordingly.
Create incentives for companies to reduce food waste: One way to encourage companies to reduce waste is to create incentives for them to do so. This could include tax breaks or subsidies for companies that reduce their food waste.
Regulate the amount of food that is produced: One way to reduce food waste is to regulate the amount of food that is produced. This would prevent companies from overproducing food and would help match production with demand.
Make donations to food banks and other organizations: Donating food to food banks and other organizations is a great way to help reduce food waste. This prevents food from being wasted by ensuring that it goes to those who need it the most.
Summary
While food waste and loss are different, they both result in the same negative impact on the environment and our economy and both need to be addressed in order to make the most of our food resources.The good news is that there are practical measures we can all take in reducing food loss and food waste.
Check out our free online courses for more information on how you can reduce or prevent your own contribution to these problems. And remember, every little bit counts!