Food losses and waste: how Brazil is facing this global challenge?

Abstract

By 2017, Brazil seems to have finally awakened to the problem of food loss and waste. In this article, we resume the topic started in the article "Postharvest losses of perishables in Brazil: what do we know so far?" published earlier this year, but now with an emphasis on food losses and waste (FLW). We divided this article into four sections: (a) search for scientific publications on postharvest losses (PHL) and food waste (FW) in Portuguese; (b) social classes and food consumption in Brazil and household food waste; (c) the national legal framework on FLW; and (d) current food security policies and civil society actions on FLW. Google Scholar searches yielded 46,100 records for FW and 16,100 for PHL, but only 37 and 19 records, respectively, when the searches were restricted to the title of the papers. There is a clear division of subjects: PHL is more related to Agriculture and Economy and FW to Health, Nutrition and the Environment, and reasons and consequences are discussed. Food consumption and waste in Brazil must take into account the great social heterogeneity and high income inequality, as well as some unexpected driving cultural reasons. About 30 bills related to food waste have been discussed in the Brazilian Congress since 1997, with a low expectation of approval in the short term. In the absence of a regulatory framework to reduce losses and facilitate the donation of food, society has found its own way of dealing with the problem. Some initiatives are presented here, along with some governmental food security policies which had positive impacts in reducing FLW, such as National School Feeding Program (PNAE), food banks and popular restaurants. Some international movements are also beginning to gain strength in Brazil, e.g., the purchase of fruits and vegetables outside of aesthetic standards, "SaveFood Brasil", "Slow Food", among others. These are all put in perspective.

Estimating the magnitude of the food loss and waste generated in Brazil

“…Most of them comprise estimates that were obtained through questionnaires and/or interviews, with little potential capacity to modify the situation they describe. The relatively few scientific studies published in Brazil, the largest part being in Portuguese, are considered as gray literature, since they are not reviewed in pairs, indexed in journals, or easily accessible (Henz and Porpino, 2017).…”

“…On the matter of food waste, from the 1980s onwards scientific research focused on the issue of household waste (Henz and Porpino, 2017). There is a perceived division between the understandings of FLW between the FSC steps, based on studies guided by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).…”

Variação temporal do desperdício de alimentos em restaurante universitário

“…Na União Europeia, cerca de 100 milhões de toneladas de alimentos são desperdiçados ao ano, e no Brasil, estima-se que aproximadamente 10% dos alimentos produzidos são perdidos ou desperdiçados, representando cerca de 39 mil toneladas por dia (Varela et al, 2015;Thyberg;Tonjes, 2016;Brasília, 2018). O setor da alimentação coletiva é apontado como um dos que mais produz desperdício de alimentos, representando uma parcela de 15% a 50% (Henz;Porpino, 2017;Chen, 2018) e estima-se que 20-25% dos resíduos de alimentos são gerados nestes serviços (Stenmarck et al, 2016;Ozcicek-Dolekoglu;Var, 2019).…”

“…Durante a produção de refeições em Unidades de Alimentação e Nutrição (UAN), o desperdício pode ocorrer em todas as etapas do processo produtivo, especialmente no armazenamento, pré-preparo, cocção e distribuição, incluindo a matéria-prima e outros recursos como água, energia e mão de obra (Vaz, 2006). Na etapa de distribuição, foco deste estudo, o desperdício envolve os alimentos preparados que não são consumidos e o resto deixado nos pratos pelos comensais (Henz;Porpino, 2017).…”

Fruit Waste as Natural Pectin Source for Jam Production in Rural Communities

“…In Brazil, the sustainable production and consumption of food have faced constant challenges, as serious problems may arise in the future due to postharvest losses and food waste. Traditional farming systems will face increasing challenges to maintain and expand their current levels of food production due to climate change, intensive use of inputs and natural resources and, above all, changes in the eating habits of the Brazilian population (Henz & Porpino, 2017). In Brazil, post-harvest losses of vegetables can reach up to 30-45% (Henz, 2017), thus, finding ways to mitigate such damage is vital.…”