Purpose–Given the importance of food waste in the economic, social, health and environmental dimensions,the purpose of this work is to detect, through a systematic and configurative literature review on food-waste-measurement methodologies, the global approaches, characteristics, limitations, opportunities and resultsapplied within the literature. The analysis of these papers provides useful information about how far we arefrom international action plans and, therefore, how we need to direct programs and policies to measure andreduce food waste and ensure food security and food safety. Design/methodology/approach–The authors have conducted a systematic, configurative literature reviewon food waste measurement methodologies applied only within empirical studies published in academic peer-reviewed scientific journals. Based on the Commission Delegated Decision (EU) 2019/1597 of May 3, 2019(OJEU, 2019) regarding common methodologies and minimum quality requirements for the homogeneousassessment of food waste quantities and composition, the authors investigated the issue on Web of ScienceCore Collection (WoS) from June 2000 to June 2020. The authors researched keywords within article titles,abstracts and author keywords by utilizing 34 different research strings. Findings–The proposed review particularly refers to following topics: measurement methodologies appliedaccording to the Commission Delegated Decision (EU) 2019/1597; editorial placement and publication timeline;geographical area; food supply-chain stage and publication journals; and the main features, limitations,opportunities and results for each measurement methodology as presented by authors. Among the first 48,000results, only 58 academic articles are perfectly in line with the aim of the review, highlighting the lack ofstandardized methodologies, the limits of those proposed and the deficiency of comparable results to achievesustainable international goals. Originality/value–The proposed review is one of the few concerning food waste measurementmethodologies. Food waste measurement is essential to rebalance the actual inadequate food system and toswitch it toward a fair, healthy and environmentally friendly one, thereby (1) managing the human nutritionsystem paradox of hungry, undernourished and over-weight people; (2) reducing food insecurity; (3) ensuringeach living being’s access to healthy, nutritious and sustainable food; and (4) reducing environmental impacts(neutral or positive impact) and the loss of biodiversity and mitigating climate change.
Food waste measurement toward a fair, healthy and environmental-friendly food system: a critical review
V. Amicarelli
;C. Bux
2020-01-01
Abstract
Purpose–Given the importance of food waste in the economic, social, health and environmental dimensions,the purpose of this work is to detect, through a systematic and configurative literature review on food-waste-measurement methodologies, the global approaches, characteristics, limitations, opportunities and resultsapplied within the literature. The analysis of these papers provides useful information about how far we arefrom international action plans and, therefore, how we need to direct programs and policies to measure andreduce food waste and ensure food security and food safety. Design/methodology/approach–The authors have conducted a systematic, configurative literature reviewon food waste measurement methodologies applied only within empirical studies published in academic peer-reviewed scientific journals. Based on the Commission Delegated Decision (EU) 2019/1597 of May 3, 2019(OJEU, 2019) regarding common methodologies and minimum quality requirements for the homogeneousassessment of food waste quantities and composition, the authors investigated the issue on Web of ScienceCore Collection (WoS) from June 2000 to June 2020. The authors researched keywords within article titles,abstracts and author keywords by utilizing 34 different research strings. Findings–The proposed review particularly refers to following topics: measurement methodologies appliedaccording to the Commission Delegated Decision (EU) 2019/1597; editorial placement and publication timeline;geographical area; food supply-chain stage and publication journals; and the main features, limitations,opportunities and results for each measurement methodology as presented by authors. Among the first 48,000results, only 58 academic articles are perfectly in line with the aim of the review, highlighting the lack ofstandardized methodologies, the limits of those proposed and the deficiency of comparable results to achievesustainable international goals. Originality/value–The proposed review is one of the few concerning food waste measurementmethodologies. Food waste measurement is essential to rebalance the actual inadequate food system and toswitch it toward a fair, healthy and environmentally friendly one, thereby (1) managing the human nutritionsystem paradox of hungry, undernourished and over-weight people; (2) reducing food insecurity; (3) ensuringeach living being’s access to healthy, nutritious and sustainable food; and (4) reducing environmental impacts(neutral or positive impact) and the loss of biodiversity and mitigating climate change.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
