Feasibility of Meat Loss and Waste Estimates Based on Meat Consumption and Availability

Paolo C. Colombani and Thomas A. Brunner ()
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Paolo C. Colombani: Consulting Colombani GmbH, 3076 Worb, Switzerland
Thomas A. Brunner: Food Science & Management, School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences (HAFL), Bern University of Applied Sciences, 3052 Zollikofen, Switzerland

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Meat loss and waste are estimated at each stage along the food chain, but the methods used are complex, and the data needed are often fragmented. We, therefore, evaluated the feasibility of estimating meat loss and waste using a simpler method comparing meat availability and consumption, using Swiss meat consumption according to a national nutrition survey and Swiss meat availability according to food balance sheets. As availability is reported at the fresh meat level and consumption as consumed, items of the latter were converted to fresh meat equivalents before comparing consumption with availability. Consumed unprocessed meat was directly converted to fresh meat equivalents and consumed meat products after having identified their meat ingredients. Meat availability and meat consumption as consumed and as fresh meat equivalent were 138.4 g/d, 105.5 g/d, and 112.1 g/d, respectively. The resulting total meat loss and waste was 19% and varied from −36% to 38% for the different meat types. Estimating meat loss and waste based on meat availability and consumption derived from a national nutrition survey yielded results varying to such an extent that the evaluated method to estimate meat loss and waste cannot be recommended.

Keywords: meat; poultry; processed meat; fresh meat equivalent; national nutrition survey; food availability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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