Food Waste Management Practices and Barriers to Progress in U.S. University Foodservice

Aviva A. Musicus, Ghislaine C. Amsler Challamel, Robert McKenzie, Eric B. Rimm and Stacy A. Blondin
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Aviva A. Musicus: Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 655 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
Ghislaine C. Amsler Challamel: Menus of Change University Research Collaborative, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
Robert McKenzie: Harvard College, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
Eric B. Rimm: Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 655 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
Stacy A. Blondin: Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 655 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 11, 1-9

Abstract: Identifying institutional capacity to reduce and reallocate food waste is important to reduce both greenhouse gas emissions and food insecurity. The goal of this study was to examine food waste concern, reduction and repurposing strategies, and perceived barriers to these strategies among U.S. university foodservice representatives. We surveyed 57 U.S. university foodservice representatives about foodservice operations, campus food insecurity, food waste reduction and repurposing activities, and obstacles to composting and donating food waste. Data were collected September 2019–February 2020. Roughly three-quarters of respondents tracked campus food waste, reported that food waste reduction was a high/very high priority, and reported concern about campus food insecurity. The most common food-waste-reduction strategies included forecasting demand to prevent overproduction and preparing smaller batches. The most common repurposing strategies included donation and composting. Top barriers to food donation included liability concerns and lack of labor. Barriers to composting food included lack of infrastructure and knowledge/experience. Addressing perceived barriers to university foodservices’ food waste reduction and repurposing efforts could lead to reduced greenhouse gas emissions and improved food security for millions of Americans.

Keywords: food waste; institutional foodservice; higher education; food insecurity; composting; food donation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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