Food Waste Volume, Origin and Causes: Case Study in a Tunisian University Canteen

Hanen Ben Ismail, Sarra Jribi, Beya Hachani, Derine Dogui & Debbabi Hajer

doi:https://doi.org/10.29329/ijiaar.2022.475.9

Original article | Open Access
International Journal of Innovative Approaches in Agricultural Research 2022, Vol. 6(3) 255-269

Food Waste Volume, Origin and Causes: Case Study in a Tunisian University Canteen

Hanen Ben Ismail, Sarra Jribi, Beya Hachani, Derine Dogui & Debbabi Hajer

pp. 255 - 269 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.29329/ijiaar.2022.475.9

Published online: September 30, 2022 | Number of Views: 97 | Number of Download: 254

Download PDF

Abstract

Food waste reduction strategy involves a quantification of food waste generation. This work aimed to evaluate the volume and the type of post consumption food waste and to identify its main causes in a university canteen (INAT, Tunis, Tunisia). Based on a direct method, wasted food was weighed with an electronic scale, during 23 working days. Three main food groups were quantified: prepared food (PF), plate waste (PW), which is the amount of food rejected by students and left on their plates, and non-served food (NS), which is the amount of food not distributed to diners and remaining in the serving bowls. Daily direct quantification has revealed that average meals served was 209 kg/day, whereas as average food daily waste was 15.90 % of PF, 0.074 kg per student and 13.4% of PF were non-served. The average index of waste/consumption was approximately 17 %, and classified as bad, and the per capita plate was 29.3 g. The daily quantities of food waste varied from 0 to 15 kg. The most rejected foodstuffs were stews (25.3%), pasta and cereal products (20.7%), and especially bread with a waste percentage of 43%. Cause and effect diagram coupled with interviews and survey allowed identifying principal causes for the food waste generation: perceived sensory quality, poor food presentation, poor menu planning and poor management of the fluctuation of the students’ number (the quantities served were not adjusted) as well as customers’ behaviours and habits. The cost of this food waste was estimated to 15.2% of the canteen annual budget. Potential interventions for food waste preventions are discussed.

Keywords: Food Waste reduction, Direct Quantification, Cause and Effect Analysis, Intervention, Students

How to Cite this Article

APA 6th edition
Ismail, H.B., Jribi, S., Hachani, B., Dogui, D. & Hajer, D. (2022). Food Waste Volume, Origin and Causes: Case Study in a Tunisian University Canteen . International Journal of Innovative Approaches in Agricultural Research, 6(3), 255-269. doi: 10.29329/ijiaar.2022.475.9

Harvard
Ismail, H., Jribi, S., Hachani, B., Dogui, D. and Hajer, D. (2022). Food Waste Volume, Origin and Causes: Case Study in a Tunisian University Canteen . International Journal of Innovative Approaches in Agricultural Research, 6(3), pp. 255-269.

Chicago 16th edition
Ismail, Hanen Ben, Sarra Jribi, Beya Hachani, Derine Dogui and Debbabi Hajer (2022). "Food Waste Volume, Origin and Causes: Case Study in a Tunisian University Canteen ". International Journal of Innovative Approaches in Agricultural Research 6 (3):255-269. doi:10.29329/ijiaar.2022.475.9.

References

Ali, A. Y., & Ayele, A. (2019). Contribution of quality tools for reducing food waste in university canteen. Journal of Applied Research on Industrial Engineering, 6(2), 125-130. [Google Scholar]
Aschemann-Witzel, J., de Hooge I., Amani P., Bech-Larsen, T. & Oostindjer, M. (2015). Consumer-Related Food Waste: Causes and Potential for Action. Sustainability, 7, 6457-6477. [Google Scholar]
Augustini, V., Kishimoto, P. & Tescaro, T. (2008). Avaliação do índice de resto-ingesta e sobras em unidade de alimentação e nutrição (UAN) de uma empresametalúrgica na cidade de. Piracicaba/SP. Rev Simbio-Logias, 1, 99-110. [Google Scholar]
Ben Ismail, H., Rezgui, M., Jribi, S., Dogui D. & Debbabi, H. (2021). COVID-19: Impact of Service and Food Quality on Student Satisfaction and Food Wastage in a Tunisian Canteen. IJIAAR, 5(1), 52-69. [Google Scholar]
Boschini, M., Falasconi, L., Giordano, C., & Alboni, F. (2018). Food waste in school canteens: A reference methodology for large-scale studies. Journal of Cleaner Production, 182, 1024-1032. [Google Scholar]
Buzby, J.C. & Guthrie, J.F. (2002). Plate waste in school nutrition programs final report to congress. Economic Research Service, US Department of Agriculture. Retrieved from http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/efan-electronicpublications-from-the-food-assistance-nutrition-researchprogram/efan02009.aspx [Google Scholar]
Cerda, A., Artola, A., Font, X., Barrena, R., Gea, T., & Sánchez, A. (2018). Composting of food wastes: Status and challenges. Bioresource Technology, 248, 57-67. [Google Scholar]
Derqui, B., & Fernandez, V. (2017). The opportunity of tracking food waste in school canteens: guidelines for self-assessment. Waste Management, 69, 431-444. [Google Scholar]
Ellison, B., Savchenko, O., Nikolaus, C. J., & Duff, B. R. (2019). Every plate counts : Evaluation of a food waste reduction campaign in a university dining hall. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 144, 276-284. [Google Scholar]
European Commission (2017). EU Guidelines on Food Donation, OJ C 361, 25.10.2017, p.1, Retrieved from https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legalcontent/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:C:2017:361:TOC [Google Scholar]
Falasconi, L., Vittuari, M., Politano, A., & Segrè, A. (2015). Food waste in school catering: an Italian case study. Sustainability, 7(11), 14745-14760. [Google Scholar]
FAO (2011). Global Food Losses and Food Waste. Extent, Causes and Prevention. Rome: FAO. Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/fileadmin/user_upload/suistainability/pdf/Global_Food_Losses_and_Food_Waste.pdf [Google Scholar]
FAO, (2013). Food wastage footprint. Impact on natural resources. Rome: FAO. Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/publications/card/fr/c/000d4a32-7304-5785-a2f1-f64c6de8e7a2/ [Google Scholar]
Ferreira, M., Martins, M. L., & Rocha, A. (2013). Food waste as an index of food service quality. British Food Journal, 115(11), 1628-1637. [Google Scholar]
Gallardo, A., Edo-Alcón, N., Carlos, M., & Renau, M. (2016). The determination of waste generation and composition as an essential tool to improve the waste management plan of a university. Waste Management, 53, 3-11. [Google Scholar]
Garnett, T. (2014). Three perspectives on sustainable food security: Eﬃciency, demand restraint, food system transformation. What role for life cycle assessment? Journal of Cleaner Production, 73, 10–18 [Google Scholar]
Gazzoli, G., Hancer, M., & Park, Y. (2010). The role and effect of job satisfaction and empowerment on customers’ perception of service quality: A study in the restaurant industry. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Research, 34(1), 56-77. [Google Scholar]
Girotto, F., Alibardi, L., & Cossu, R. (2015). Food waste generation and industrial uses: a review. Waste Management, 45, 32-41. [Google Scholar]
Gustavsson, J., Cederberg, C., Sonesson, U., Van Otterdijk, R., & Meybeck, A. (2011). Global food losses and food waste. Rome: FAO. Retrieved from http://www.2degreesnetwork.com/preview/resource/global-food-losses-and-food-waste-fao-report/ [Google Scholar]
Hanson, C., Lipinski B., Robertson, K., Dias, D., Gavilan, I., Gréverath, P., Ritter, S., Fonseca, J., van Otterdijk, R., Timmermans, T., Lomax, J., O’Connor, C., Daw,e A., Swannell, R., Berger, V., Reddy, M. and Somogyi, D. (2016). Guidance on FLW quantification methods Supplement to the Food Loss and Waste (FLW). Accounting and Reporting Standard, Version 1.0. Retrieved from www.flwprotocol.org [Google Scholar]
INC (2017). Principaux résultats des enquêtes et sondages sur le gaspillage alimentaire. Ressource document. Retrieved from http://inc.nat.tn/fr/principaux-r%C3%A9sultats-des-enqu%C3%AAtes-et-sondages-sur-le-gaspillage-alimentaire. [Google Scholar]
Jribi, S., Ben Ismail, H., Dogui, D. & Debbabi, H. (2020). COVID 19 virus outbreak lockdown: What impacts on household food wastage? Environment, Development and Sustainability, 22, 3939-3955. [Google Scholar]
Lazell, J. (2016). Consumer food waste behaviour in universities: Sharing as a means of prevention. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 15(5), 430-439. [Google Scholar]
Lorenz, B. A. S., Hartmann, M., & Langen, N. (2017). What makes people leave their food? The interaction of personal and situational factors leading to plate leftovers in canteens. Appetite, 116, 45-56. [Google Scholar]
Marais, M. L., Smit, Y., Koen, N., & Lötze, E. (2017). Are the attitudes and practices of foodservice managers, catering personnel and students contributing to excessive food wastage at Stellenbosch University ?. South African Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 30(3). [Google Scholar]
Martins, M. L., Cunha, L. M., Rodrigues, S. S., & Rocha, A. (2014). Determination of plate waste in primary school lunches by weighing and visual estimation methods: A validation study. Waste management, 34(8), 1362-1368. [Google Scholar]
Nciri N., Shin T., Kim N., Caron A., Ben Ismail H. & Cho N. (2020). Towards the Use of Waste Pig Fat as a Novel Potential Bio-Based Rejuvenator for Recycled Asphalt Pavement. Materials, 13, 1002-1024. [Google Scholar]
Nonino-Borges, C. B., Rabito, E. I., Silva, K. D., Ferraz, C. A., Chiarello, P. G., Santos, J. S. D., & Marchini, J. S. (2006). Desperdício de alimentos intra-hospitalar. Revista de Nutrição, 19, 349-356. [Google Scholar]
OECD (2019). OECD Competition Assessment Reviews: Tunisia. Retreived from: https://www.oecd.org/daf/competition/ca-tunisia-review-2019-en.pdf [Google Scholar]
Ozcicek-Dolekoglu, C., & Var, I. (2019). Analysis of food waste in university dining halls: A case study from turkey. Fresenius Environ. Bull, 28, 156-166. [Google Scholar]
Painter, K., Thondhlana, G., & Kua, H. W. (2016). Food waste generation and potential interventions at Rhodes University, South Africa. Waste management, 56, 491-497. [Google Scholar]
Papargyropoulou, E., Lozano, R., Steinberger, J., Wright, N. and Bin Ujang, Z., (2014). The food waste hierarchy as a framework for the management of food surplus and food waste. Journal of Cleaner Production, 76, 106-115. [Google Scholar]
Papargyropoulou, E., Steinberger, J.K., Wright, N., Lozano, R., Padfield, R., & Ujang, Z. (2019). Patterns and Causes of Food Waste in the Hospitality and Food Service Sector: Food Waste Prevention Insights from Malaysia. Sustainability, 11, 6016-6037. [Google Scholar]
Pinto, R. S., dos Santos Pinto, R. M., Melo, F. F. S., Campos, S. S., & Cordovil, C. M. D. S. (2018). A simple awareness campaign to promote food waste reduction in a University canteen”. Waste Management, 76, 28-38. [Google Scholar]
Reynolds, C., Goucher, L., Quested, T., Bromley, S., Gillick, S., Wells, V. K., Evans D., Koh L., Kanyama A. C., Katzeff C., Svenfelt A., & Jackson P. (2019). Review : Consumption-stage food waste reduction interventions–What works and how to design better interventions. Food Policy, 83, 7-27. [Google Scholar]
Richardson, R., Prescott, M. P., & Ellison, B. (2021). Impact of plate shape and size on individual food waste in a university dining hall. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 168, 105293. [Google Scholar]
Ruy, K. & Han, H. (2011). New or repeat customers: How does physical environment influence their restaurant experience? International Journal of Hospitality Management, 30(3), 599-611. [Google Scholar]
Sassi K., Capone R., Abid G., DEBS P., El Bilali H., Daaloul Bouacha O., Bottalico F., Driouech N., Sfayhi Terras D. (2016). Food wastage by Tunisian households. AGROFOR International Journal, 1(1), 172-181. [Google Scholar]
Shanes K., Dobernig K. & Gözet B. (2018). Food waste matters - A systematic review of household food waste practices and their policy implications. Journal of Cleaner Production, 182(1), 978-991. [Google Scholar]
Silvennoinen, K., Heikkilä, L., Katajajuuri, J. M., & Reinikainen, A. (2015). Food waste volume and origin: Case studies in the Finnish food service sector. Waste Management, 46, 140-145. [Google Scholar]
Stancu V., Haugaard P., & Lähteenmäki L. (2016). Determinants of consumer food waste behaviour: Two routes to food waste. Appetite, 96(1), 7-17. [Google Scholar]
United Nations Environment Programme (2021). Food Waste Index Report 2021. Nairobi. Retrieved from https://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/35280/FoodWaste.pdf [Google Scholar]
US Environmental Protection Agency. Food Recovery Hierarchy Retrieved from https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-management-food/food-recovery-hierarchy#about [Google Scholar]
Wang T. (2019). Per capita food waste of selected countries worldwide 2017. Retrieved from https://www.statista.com/statistics/933059/per-capita-food-waste-of-selected-countries/ [Google Scholar]
Whitehair K. J., Shanklin C. W., & Brannon L. A.. (2013). Written Messages Improve Edible Food Waste Behaviors in a University Dining Facility. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 113(1), 63-69. [Google Scholar]
Wiriyaphanich, T., Guinard, J. X., Spang, E., Amsler Challamel, G., Valgenti, R. T., Sinclair, D. & Putnam-Farr, E. (2021). Food Choice and Waste in University Dining Commons—A Menus of Change University Research Collaborative Study. Foods, 10(3), 577. [Google Scholar]

Volume 6 Issue 3

September 2022

All Articles