Identification of sources of solid waste generation in a food and nutrition unit

  • Mariana Gardin Alves Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais; Departamento de Enfermagem e Nutrição; Universidade de Taubaté, São Paulo, Brasil
  • Mariko Ueno Progrma de Pós Graduação em Ciências Ambientais; Instituto Básico de Biociências; Universidade de Taubaté, Taubaté, São Paulo, Brasil
Keywords: environmental sciences, food service, waste food.

Abstract

Collective food service is considered a major source of food waste. In order to acquire detailed data of food loss and waste generation in this sector, the waste of one Food and Nutrition Unit (FNU) was classified into categories: inventory losses and storage losses in food processing, distribution and return. The study sought to identify and quantify the waste generated over five days at a FNU located inside an automobile parts manufacturing shop in the city of Taubaté, SP, and we proposed an action plan to reduce the environmental impact based upon the three r's principle. In order to serve 2,740 meals, 486.6 kg of solid waste were generated, resulting in an average per capita of 0.177 kg / day of waste. The waste was distributed as follows: 58.0% in food processing, 31.9% in returns and 10.1% in stock and storage. Of the total solid waste, 85% was organic compounds of unwanted portions of vegetables and meat, food scraps, leftovers from dinners, expired food and food samples, and 15% was composed of waste paper/cardboard, plastics and cans. The largest waste generation was due to the disposal of inedible food, food scraps produced and rest-intake, these results are related to waste food, 100% intended for composting. As for the other waste, 80% was destined for recycling and 20% was taken to the landfill.

Author Biographies

Mariana Gardin Alves, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais; Departamento de Enfermagem e Nutrição; Universidade de Taubaté, São Paulo, Brasil
Graduada em Nutrição pela Universidade de Taubaté (2007). Pós-Graduação (lato sensu) em Gestão de Negócios de Alimentação e Nutrição (Instituição CBES). Mestranda do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais (Universidade de Taubaté). Atualmente professora da Universidade de Taubaté (curso nutrição) e do Centro Estadual de Educação Tecnológica Paula Souza (curso de nutrição e dietética).
Mariko Ueno, Progrma de Pós Graduação em Ciências Ambientais; Instituto Básico de Biociências; Universidade de Taubaté, Taubaté, São Paulo, Brasil
Graduada em Engenharia de Alimentos, Doutorado em Ciências do Alimentos, área Microbiologia dos Alimentos. Atua na área de Segurança dos Alimentos. Faz parte do corpo docente do Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Amnbientais.
Published
20/10/2015
Section
Papers