Challenges for a Sustainable Food Supply Chain: A Review on Food Losses and Waste

Abstract

To address global food security, new strategies are required in view of the challenges represented by Climate Change, depletion of natural resources and the need to not further compromise the ecosystems’ quality and biodiversity. Food losses and waste (FLW) affect food security and nutrition, as well as the sustainability of food systems. Quantification of the adverse effects of FLW is a complex and multidimensional challenge requiring a wide-ranging approach, regarding the quantification of FLW as well as the related economic, environmental and social aspects. The evaluation of suitable corrective actions for managing FLW along the food supply chain requires a system of sound and shared benchmarks that seem still undefined. This review aims to provide an overview of the environmental, economic and social issues of FLW, which may support policy measures for prevention, reduction and valorization of food wastes within the food supply chain. In fact, detection of the hotspots and critical points allows to develop tailored policy measures that may improve the efficiency of the food supply chain and its sustainability, with an integrated approach involving all the main actors and considering the several production contexts.