Food Losses and Food Waste in the Context of Sustainable Development of the Food Sector

Globally, about one third of all food produced is wasted every year. Losses take place along the entire food chain and they need to be analyzed and monitored due to their impact on the development of the food sector. In addition to quantitative losses, irrational use of food contributes to the depletion of natural resources (water and energy) and poses a threat to the environment, constituting a barrier to sustainable development of the food sector. The aim of this study was to establish the causes and effects of food waste throughout the food supply chain and to propose mitigation measures. Identified causes of food waste can be divided into two groups. The first are those that lead to the fact that food cannot be consumed (e.g., inadequate conditions of agricultural production and interruption of the cold chain). In the second, those that cause food cannot be sold (e.g., wrong label and wrong product weight). Most of the identified causes of food waste can be avoided (e.g., by improving the conditions of production, storage, and transportation). However, it is not possible to eliminate all potential errors leading to food waste. It is therefore necessary to consider what action to take to use food as intended. One way to reduce losses and food waste can be re-distributing to charity.