Environmental, Economic, and Nutritional Impact of Food Waste in a Portuguese University Canteen

Nicol Martinho, Liliana Cheng, Isabel Bentes, Carlos A. Teixeira, Sofia Sousa Silva and Margarida Liz Martins ()
Additional contact information
Nicol Martinho: School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
Liliana Cheng: School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
Isabel Bentes: C-MADE—Centre of Materials and Building Technologies, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
Carlos A. Teixeira: School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
Sofia Sousa Silva: School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
Margarida Liz Martins: CITAB—Centre for the Research and Technology of Agro-Envrionmental and Biological Sciences, University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro, 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 23, 1-14

Abstract: High food waste values have been reported in university canteens in different countries. This study aims to evaluate food waste related to the consumption stage in a Portuguese university canteen and its environmental, economic, and nutritional impact. Data collection was performed at a Portuguese university with about 7000 students. Food waste (leftovers and plate waste) was assessed over 10 days by physical weighing. The Ecological Footprint Accounting methodology was used, combined with an assessment of the ecological footprint. The energy and nutritional contents of meals wasted were estimated using the software Nutrium ® 4.0. The economic impact of food waste was obtained considering the daily meal price. During study period, 4374 meals were evaluated, corresponding to 1599 kg of food produced. A total of 189.5 kg of food was wasted, being higher for plate waste (164.1 kg) than for leftovers (25.3 kg). The meat group presented the highest total waste value (78.1 kg). Daily food waste represented an economic loss of €140 and an ecological footprint of 0.1 gha. About 8% of energy, 11% of protein, 9% of fat, and 5% of carbohydrates were lost per meal. The high food waste values observed (about 13.4%) estimate a monthly economic loss of €3080, an ecological footprint of 2.8 gha, and a total food waste of 417 kg.

Keywords: economic losses; environmental footprint; food sustainability; food waste; canteen (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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