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Hidden realities: Food waste from servings in mini size packaging
Gamze Doğdu1, Turgay Pekdemir2, Sanaz Lakestani3
1Department of Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Bolu Abant İzzet Baysal University, Bolu, Türkiye.
Waste Management (New York, N.Y.)
|November 21, 2023
Summary
Mini-sized food packaging contributes significantly to food waste (FW). Difficulties in emptying containers and consumer habits are key drivers of this waste, impacting overall food and packaging sustainability.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Science
- Sustainability Studies
- Food Science
Background:
- Single-use packaging for mini food portions presents unique challenges.
- Understanding food waste (FW) from these packages is crucial for sustainability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify food waste associated with mini-sized food packaging.
- To identify the primary causes of food waste, including packaging design and consumer behavior.
Main Methods:
- Real-life measurement of food waste from discarded mini food packages in public eateries.
- Statistical analysis of waste data based on eatery type, package characteristics, and food type.
Main Results:
- Service style, packaging design, and consumer wastefulness contribute 10-47%, 3-11%, and 5-37% to food waste, respectively.
- Difficulties in emptying food from packaging (shape, size, material) are a dominant factor.
- Higher affluence may correlate with increased consumer food waste.
Conclusions:
- Mini-sized food packaging significantly contributes to the food waste iceberg.
- Addressing packaging design and consumer behavior is essential for improving food and packaging sustainability.
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