New terms for food waste quantification in food production

The study also suggests terminology and methods for future studies of losses and waste. The aim of the study is to raise awareness and knowledge in order to reduce losses in primary production.

“The European Commission has recently launched a plan for the UN target of halving the amount of food waste. The plan covers the whole food supply chain, and soon the European Commission will present how the Member States should measure their food waste. There are different methods of measurement, each of which serve different purposes, and we have made a comparison among the terms used,” says Ulrika Franke, project manager at the Swedish Board of Agriculture.

‘Side flow’ is a new term

The project conducted case studies of seven selected products: carrots, onions, wheat, rye, green peas, field peas, and farmed rainbow trout or char. Using surveys, interviews, and field measurements, the project calculated food waste as well as side flows for the various products.

“We have introduced the term ‘side flow’ to try to capture the flow of products such as fruit, vegetables, meat and fish intended for human consumption, but which do not enter the food supply chain. Planned feed production is not included in the definition. Nor are inedible parts such as peels or bones. Side flow is a more neutral term than waste, and does not produce an image of a wasteful behaviour. Losses in agriculture are unintentional, and in most cases it is not ‘wasted’ or ‘lost’ but used for a beneficial purpose at the farm, such as animal feed.”

The total amount of side flow in primary production is estimated to be about 0.8 million tonnes, and an additional 0.1 million tonnes during animal rearing. This represents 3.2% and 0.5%, respectively, of the total production of 24 million tonnes of edible products.

Little side flow in greenhouse cultivation

Outdoor cultivation of vegetables, root vegetables and cereals has a side flow ranging from 10% for potatoes to 26% for carrots, while greenhouse cultivation has as little as approximately 1%. Side flow of fruits and berries ranges between 10% for apples and pears to approximately 14% for strawberries. 

• Read the whole report: Food losses and waste in primary production

This project, coordinated by the Swedish Food Agency and financed by the Nordic Council of Ministers, is part of a Nordic initiative to reduce food waste.