TRENDS AND PROMOTION OF FOOD WASTE MANAGEMENT

Abstract

Food residues have powerful environmental, social and economic impacts because they are dumped at the producer, consumer or household level. Information on the extent of food waste, its sources and related problems, in particular the impact on the environment, is important for society. This article reviews Ukrainian normative and legal documents and reveals the absence of the official term "food waste" in State legislation. In world practice, there is a distinction between "food loss" and "food waste", which defines the appropriate mechanisms for handling food and food residues at different stages of their life cycles. The term "food waste" applies exclusively to foodstuffs which are disposed of according to certain technologies (composting, anaerobic digestion, bioenergy, cogeneration, incineration, sewerage, disposal, etc.). A review of literature found that traditional food waste management practices had inefficient environmental and energy parameters. The development of modern food waste management technologies increases the value of food waste streams, thereby reducing their quantity and impact on the environment. The feeding of food residues to animals, as well as the transfer of surplus food to low-income people, is a significant addition to technological methods for the management of food waste. According to the authors, the latter option, despite its humanity, might prove less effective in certain regions. Despite the proven value of food waste as a secondary raw material, strategies to improve food security have become an increasing priority. This means preventing and reducing food waste and has a proven opportunity to minimize environmental and economic costs in achieving sustainable development of society. Thus, understanding the value of food waste opens up new horizons of economic growth by offering waste as feedstock in a closed cycle, which is crucial for the development of strategies for the sustainable development of society.