9^th Global Food Security Food Safety and Sustainability

Food Waste and Recycling

Food waste is food that is not eaten. The causes of food waste or loss are numerous and occur throughout the food system, during production, processing, distribution, retail and food service sales, and consumption. Overall, about one-third of the world's food is thrown away.A 2021 metaanalysis that did not include food lost during production, by the United Nations Environment Programme found that food waste was a challenge in all countries at all levels of economic development.The analysis estimated that global food waste was 931 million tonnes of food waste (about 121 kg per capita) across three sectors: 61 per cent from households, 26 per cent from food service and 13 per cent from retail.

Food Recycling Even people who have made a commitment to recycling are often uncertain about what to do with their food waste. But food can be recycled just as efficiently as plastic or aluminum, and with a little research you can learn how to do it right in your own home.Composting is the primary method of food recycling, and if we practice it religiously we can return a significant portion of the nutrients we waste back to the Earth, where they can do so much good for plants, animals and people.