The Metabolic Food Waste MFW (kg of food) first developed in 2016 as a new indicator by Serafini and Toti, indicates the amount of food consumed above the nutritional requirements, and the impact of this overconsumption on the environment. It is necessary to identify the causes and to develop potential methods to prevent and reduce MFW, at the same time as increasing consumer awareness about unsustainable diets and changing diet habits towards more environmentally conscious consumption patterns. This study was conducted by collecting and analysing existing reports and studies regarding nutritional requirements, consumer behaviour related to food consumption and food waste, environmental impacts of food waste, and the concept of Metabolic Food Waste. The process of data collection involved searching the studies available online, using keywords related to the subject of MFW and overconsumption. The references in the initial studies consulted were also analysed in order to further identify new data relevant to overconsumption and MFW. The materials studied and analysed related to the environmental impact of MFW were published by E. Toti and M. Serafini in 2016 and 2019; additionally, in order to understand the causes of overconsumption numerous studies were reviewed regarding consumer behaviour, the relationship between economic development and overconsumption, mental health and dietary habits, physical context and dietary habits, genetic predisposition, also childhood and early adulthood environment. By analysing and corroborating external data available for food waste, nutritional requirements, and the environmental impact of food waste and consumer behaviour, we identified as primary causes for MFW the lack of nutritional education and little understanding of the nutritional requirements amongst all categories of consumers, poor access to appropriate food resources or reduced availability of fresh produced food. We conclude that for the quantification of the negative impact of MFW on both the environment and human health we need decisive action to raise consumer awareness for healthy and sustainable diets, together with a uniform worldwide distribution system for nutritious food.
The aim of the study was to identify the effect of Carduus nutans L on the heavy metals and microenvironment biota. Ten plants of Carduus nutans L were collected togheter with the rhizosphere soil and as reference the soil was collectued from an abandonated pasture where no vegetation was growing. The metal concentrations in the filtrate were determined by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry and the total number of bacteria and actinomycetes from the average soil samples was established. Based on the mathematical models we managed to identify the effects of the heavy metals present in the Carduus nutans L rhizosphere soil samples on the development and presence of bacteria and actinomycetes colonies. We can state that iron and manganese influence the CFU of bacteria and actinomycetes and these in their turn have an impact on the zinc concentration in soil which will influence total chromium content and copper concentrations.
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