Wasted food and public health

In the US, we waste about 40 percent of all food produced. That translates to throwing away about a quarter of the freshwater used in this country and 4% of the oil, not to mention extensive unnecessary soil erosion, water contamination, antimicrobial resistance, occupational and community health exposures, and biodiversity loss. Wasted food also means substantial unnecessary greenhouse gas emissions, particularly from food production and the methane released in landfills.  

Beyond the direct environmental effects of these impacts, they can also hasten food supply disruptions and shortages, leading to escalating food prices. Food security is further threatened in other ways. A household of four in the US wastes on average about $1,560 per year on food not eaten; with reduced waste they could eat that food or keep the money for other needs. Waste at the farm, distribution and retail levels discards food that could otherwise feed people, whether through sales or donations. Despite misconceptions to the contrary, most food waste occurs for reasons unrelated to safety; even food too old to eat usually could have been salvaged with better storage and/or planning.

This session orients the audience to the issue of wasted food. It will cover the magnitude and distribution of the problem, including international variation; key determinants; and the range of approaches to intervention.  The talk will reference the author's food waste research at the consumer and farm levels.  The talk will conclude with an analysis of why wasted food is an important concern for public health.