AUTHOR=Xu Peizhe , Shao Kaichao 

TITLE=Waste, the real villain: a comprehensive analysis and prospective perspective on food loss and waste in China

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems

VOLUME=Volume 8 - 2024

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sustainable-food-systems/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2024.1467026

DOI=10.3389/fsufs.2024.1467026

ISSN=2571-581X

ABSTRACT=One of the best ways to ensure food security is to reduce Food Loss and Waste (FLW). However, China still confronts numerous obstacles in food loss and waste study because of the intricate industrial chain, the wide range of accounting standards, and a lack of data, among other reasons. This paper aims to offer a comprehensive review of the current status of research on food loss and waste in China and suggest potential directions for future exploration. The study indicates that the rates of FLW in China have been higher than 20% in recent years and are still increasing. Among them, the highest FLW rates were found in the harvesting stage (3-6%), storage stage (8-10%) and consumption stage (10-17%). The environment and resources are profoundly affected by these substantial food losses and wastes, leading to unnecessary depletion of resources. As China's focus on food loss and waste intensifies, an increasing number of academics are expected to delve into this area, exploring dimensions such as ecological footprint assessment, innovative uses for food waste, and gathering primary data.