Food waste in the European Union Cover Image

Risipa alimentară în Uniunea Europeană
Food waste in the European Union

Author(s): Maria Nica, Ionuţ Laurenţiu Petre
Subject(s): Agriculture
Published by: EDITURA ASE
Keywords: food waste; food losses; reducing food waste;

Summary/Abstract: This paper assesses the impact of food waste in Europe and in Romania. Food security and nutrition is affected by food waste. By reducing food losses and waste, general availability of safe and nutritious food for human consumption is improved. In addition, food loss and waste in developed and developing economies can contribute directly to world hunger. All countries buy food in the same world market of goods traded internationally. Foods that are lost are removed from the market, therefore, not available for other countries to buy them. The increased demand for these commodities, the prices paid globally may be affected, which could make them less accessible to poorer countries. Preventing and reducing food losses and waste requires interventions to improve the consumption and supply of food, soas to support various types of value chains and optimize resource efficiency of food and agricultural systems. A food systems perspective extends, in particular, the focus of production to include the use of foods as a significant factor in food insecurity and natural resources and environmental degradation.