Evaluation of factors responsible for waste and environmental impacts arising from the production of meals in food services

Abstract

Food services establish an important link with the food production chain, not only from the economic point of view, but also associated with the environmental impacts resulting from their activities. This paper deals with an analyze of publications from 2009 to 2019 on factors responsible for waste generation and sustainability in food services. The results show that food waste occurs in a systematic and multifaceted way, requiring a broader and interdisciplinary approach, not only considering the measurement of waste, but also the complexity involved in the production and processing of collective meals. Finally, it is clear that a great part of the studies focuses on the generation of knowledge about the problem of waste and its quantification, evidencing a lack of studies aimed at the use and improvement of tools, techniques and methods concerning the identification and control of factors responsible for the generation of waste at its origin. These results contribute to the food science to emphasize the need for more assertive propositions to control and mitigation of food waste taking into account the total complexity involved in its generation in commercial and institutional food services.

Keywords:
food services; food waste; sustainability; waste reduction; catering