Desperdício de alimentos, impactos na sociedade e alternativas: uma revisão

Abstract

Global food waste level is a continuously growing and problematic situation. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 17% of the world's total food production is wasted, representing about 931 million tonnes annually. It is a great quantity, generating several economic, environmental, and social impacts. Moreover, it is important to point out that the number of people in a food insecurity situation is extreme and the world’s population in the year 2050 is estimated to be 29% greater than the current one, requiring a massive amount of food. Therefore, this work aims to present a bibliographic survey focused on the food waste theme, with an emphasis on impacts and alternatives for it, to serve as a basis for future research on the theme. The research was accomplished on online search platforms, including UFU Repository, Scholar Google, CAPES Periodicals, Science Direct, Scielo, Scopus, among others. The review indicated a large number of initiatives and works in which it was possible to verify the impacts and a few of the various responsible causes for waste throughout the food chain, which vary according to the specific conditions of each stage. Consequently, to combat this problem, several initiatives are being executed, among which it was mentioned the donation of surplus food, sales strategies for aesthetically imperfect products that are close to the expiration date, public awareness campaigns, and a full use of food. From these initiatives, it is observed that there has been progressing in reducing losses. Still, the practice of food donation should be more stimulated and the use of technologies more explored, connecting consumers with supermarkets and food suppliers. As a result, from the present work, it can be concluded that the conventional way of reducing goals is fundamental to struggling with food waste and food insecurity. However, despite the many studies and initiatives found in the literature, future research should help increase databases and decrease the socioeconomic and environmental impact.

Global food waste level is a continuously growing and problematic situation. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 17% of the world's total food production is wasted, representing about 931 million tonnes annually. It is a great quantity, generating several economic, environmental, and social impacts. Moreover, it is important to point out that the number of people in a food insecurity situation is extreme and the world’s population in the year 2050 is estimated to be 29% greater than the current one, requiring a massive amount of food. Therefore, this work aims to present a bibliographic survey focused on the food waste theme, with an emphasis on impacts and alternatives for it, to serve as a basis for future research on the theme. The research was accomplished on online search platforms, including UFU Repository, Scholar Google, CAPES Periodicals, Science Direct, Scielo, Scopus, among others. The review indicated a large number of initiatives and works in which it was possible to verify the impacts and a few of the various responsible causes for waste throughout the food chain, which vary according to the specific conditions of each stage. Consequently, to combat this problem, several initiatives are being executed, among which it was mentioned the donation of surplus food, sales strategies for aesthetically imperfect products that are close to the expiration date, public awareness campaigns, and a full use of food. From these initiatives, it is observed that there has been progressing in reducing losses. Still, the practice of food donation should be more stimulated and the use of technologies more explored, connecting consumers with supermarkets and food suppliers. As a result, from the present work, it can be concluded that the conventional way of reducing goals is fundamental to struggling with food waste and food insecurity. However, despite the many studies and initiatives found in the literature, future research should help increase databases and decrease the socioeconomic and environmental impact.