Food waste management in Malaysian private healthcare: A systematic review

This systematic review examines food waste management in Malaysian private healthcare, investigating the complex intersection of operational inefficiencies and deeply rooted cultural practices. Traditional quantification methods inadequately address cultural drivers such as kenduri hospitality traditions and halal compliance requirements, creating systematic gaps in management approaches within Malaysian healthcare contexts. A systematic review of 34 studies was conducted examining food waste quantification, cultural factors, and technological solutions in Malaysian private hospitals. This review synthesized evidence from 1832 initial records, achieving high methodological rigour with 85% of studies meeting quality standards. Data extraction focused on waste rates, cultural drivers, and regional management strategies from ASEAN countries, analyzed through socio-technical systems theory. Oncology wards demonstrated highest waste rates at 59.3% due to cultural-therapeutic diet mismatches. Kenduri traditions contributed to 62% systematic overproduction, while 41% of halal-compliant surplus became ineligible for redistribution due to improper segregation. Artificial intelligence (AI)-driven portion control achieved 89% prediction accuracy but faced implementation resistance. Regional analysis revealed Thailand's stream-specific audits achieved 37% waste reduction through cultural-operational categorization, complemented by Indonesia's halal-compliant composting approaches. Study limitations include English-language restriction and reliance on secondary data. Malaysian private healthcare requires culturally-adaptive waste management frameworks integrating traditional values with operational efficiency. Technology integration combining AI portion control with blockchain halal traceability offers scalable solutions when implemented alongside stakeholder-driven standardization. These findings provide the first comprehensive framework for culturally-adaptive waste management in Islamic healthcare contexts.