Innovations in food waste management in the food service industry

Abstract
There is emerging evidence that a considerable portion of the world's food is wasted,
with negative consequences for sustainability. The food service business has a significant
sustainability issue in reducing food waste. Despite the importance of this problem to the
worldwide food service sector, the academic literature needs to pay more attention to the
connection between innovative methods and food waste management. It is based on
examining food waste solutions and innovations that integrate strategic waste management
features with practice-driven efforts, such as incremental (processes and technologies) and
revolutionary developments. The study offers a variety of waste management strategies and
demonstrates that their adoption in the food service industry varies according to
management's beliefs, knowledge, and actions. These notions aid practitioners in gaining a
greater understanding of the dynamics that promote the adoption of food waste technologies.
The study will discuss and investigate the many innovations implemented to deal with this
problem. Composting, anaerobic digestion, prevention, reuse, and recycling are examples of
improvements that have been considered. The next section of the article analyzes the
usefulness of these inventions and their ability to cut down on or do away with food waste. The
study finishes by emphasizing the significance of further research into food waste management
in the food service sector and by outlining the possibilities for additional innovation in this
subject. In order to better comprehend the efficacy of the numerous food waste management
solutions that have thus far been deployed, the report also proposes prospective topics for
further research.

Keywords: food waste, food waste management, composting, anaerobic digestion, prevention,
reuse, and recycling

Introduction
Food waste is becoming an increasingly urgent problem in the food service business. In
addition to losing food, we also waste the "time and energy" necessary to create it, our "natural
resources," and our "limited accessible agricultural land," all of which might be utilized more
effectively and sustainably (Jayalakshmi, K., Pavithra, S., & Aarthi, C., 2017).
An estimated one-third of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted
annually. A social and economic calamity equates to more than 1.3 billion tons of food wasted
annually. To deal with this problem, many businesses in the food service industry have come up
with new ways to reduce food waste and better use of food resources. In this research, we
examine some of these innovations, discussing their effectiveness in reducing food waste and
their potential to improve the sustainability of food service operations (Amy Quiton, 2019).
 We begin by examining food waste's environmental and economic impacts on the food
service industry. We then look at some of the creative ways currently explored to decrease
food waste. These include improved forecasting and inventory management, implementing
"lean" production processes, and using new technologies to track and monitor food waste. We
also consider how these tactics might be improved by implementing best practices and forming
new collaborations (Antony Pearce, Dirk Pons, 2013).
Next, we explore the potential of food waste management innovations to improve food
service operations from a financial standpoint. We talk about how to save money by reducing
food waste, improving resource management, and boosting revenue by increasing customer
pleasure. We also consider some intangible benefits of food waste management, such as
improved employee morale and increased corporate social responsibility (Economic Research
Service, 2010).
Finally, we examine the challenges associated with implementing food waste
management initiatives in the food service industry. These include addressing concerns about
costs, learning as much as possible about the industry, and helping food service businesses and
other stakeholders work together well. We also discuss the role of government policies in
encouraging the adoption of food waste management initiatives (Bogard, J. & Spiker; M., 2015).
This research provides a comprehensive overview of food waste management
innovations in the food service industry. By understanding the potential of these innovations to
reduce food waste, improve operations, and benefit stakeholders, food service businesses can
develop more effective strategies for sustainable food production and consumption (Economic
Research Service, 2017).
Body of Research

The current innovations in food waste management are listed below are; Composting,
Anaerobic Digestion, Prevention, and Reuse and Recycle.

Composting
Composting is an effective method of food waste management that has become
increasingly popular in the food service industry. The breakdown of organic materials
produces fertilizer-grade soil. Composting has numerous benefits, including reducing
methane emissions, producing a nutrient-rich soil amendment, and diverting food waste
from landfills (Vimal & Vijai, 2019). Furthermore, composting is relatively easy to implement
and can be done at the household or industrial level.
I. The composition of food waste
The use of FW for material and energy conversion is still tricky for a variety of
reasons, including its intrinsic heterogeneous composition, high moisture content, and low
calorific value, all of which restrict the development of robust, large-scale, and efficient
industrial processes (Adhikari et al., 2008).
 FW may vary greatly depending on its source and is heavily influenced by customer
eating behavior (Thi et al., 2015). Reviewed and discovered that FW might account for 74-
90% of the total.
II. Composting food waste microbiology
The composting process involves a variety of microorganisms working together to
decompose organic materials. As a result, monitoring these microorganisms in succession is
critical for optimal management of the composting process, rate of biodegradation, and
compost quality, since the emergence of certain microorganisms represent the compost's
maturity (Jurado et al., 2014).
III. Emissions of gases
Because of the topic's significance, many studies have been conducted to evaluate
the environmental effect of FW composting, with numerous recent reviews and original
research publications addressing this problem (Mu et al., 2017).
IV. Heavy metals and non-organic materials
Compost created from the organic component of municipal waste is a sustainable
approach for FW recycling that benefits from the nutrients included in the compost.
Compost quality is an essential factor in compost consumers' trust. One of the primary
difficulties with utilizing food-derived compost is metal contamination of the soil, which
may lead to increased metal content in crops (Hargreaves et al., 2008).
V. Bioremediation of soil using compost
Organic waste like FW has many potentials to be turned into other fertilizers
through bioconversion. In this case, new technologies should be used to turn trash into
compost that farmers can use (Vandecasteele et al., 2013). Compost is an excellent way to
use organic matter that would otherwise be thrown away. It is also a low-cost way to add
nutrients to the soil. Also, it has been shown that compost can be used to store carbon.

Anaerobic Digestion
Another strategy that has gained popularity in the food service sector for dealing with food
waste is anaerobic digestion. In this method, organic matter is decomposed without oxygen,
yielding biogas that may be utilized for power generation. Anaerobic digestion (AD) has
numerous benefits, including producing renewable energy, reducing methane emissions, and
recycling nutrients back into the soil. Additionally, it is a cost-effective and low-maintenance
method of food waste management. (Odour et al., 2022)
Food waste can happen at any point along the food supply chain, including production,
processing, distribution, storage, sale, preparation, cooking, and serving. This is why some
researchers also use the term "food supply chain waste" (FSCW). However, it is sometimes used
specifically for food waste from homes, restaurants, school and hospital cafeterias, and other
places people eat (Lin et al., 2013).
AD is a promising way to get energy from food waste. Nevertheless, technical and financial
problems, like VFA buildup, process instability, foaming, low buffer capacity, and high costs,
keep AD systems from using food waste in various ways. Researchers have examined co-
digestion, adding micronutrients and anti-foaming agents, and different process designs. Even
though the different materials and methods used have caused some inconsistencies, many
promising results have been found ( Xu & Li, 2012).

Prevention
Among the most efficient ways to reduce food waste is to prevent it from occurring in the
first place. It could be done by encouraging employees to be conscious of portion sizes, to use
food more effectively, and to order just what is required. In addition, food waste monitoring
devices may be used to track and quantify the country's waste quantity (Mcclure, C. 2020).
Stopping food from going to waste is a big challenge for the environment, society, and
economy worldwide. In the last few years, many programs have been starting to deal with food
waste. These projects look at how efficiently resources are used, how to reduce food waste in
the supply chain, how to get people to donate and save food, how people act, and, most
importantly, how to find new ways to add value to surplus and wasted food. What many
projects have in common is that they mainly deal with food waste after it has already happened
instead of trying to stop it from happening. This could hurt efforts to make food systems more
sustainable in the long run (Mensser et al., 2020).
There are many contradictions in the idea of preventing food waste: it is seen as the best
way to deal with waste, which is what it was supposed to stop in the first place, and it is not as
clear-cut as composting or recycling in terms of how it helps the environment (i.e., prevention
by its nature is invisible). Most importantly, preventing food waste is at odds with current
economic norms and practices, just like many other big sustainability problems. In response to
these problems with prevention and the fact that waste management has not been able to cut
down on food waste, researchers have come up with several new ideas, such as re-evaluating
food overproduction as a significant cause of food waste (Mensser et al., 2020).

Reuse and Recycling

Food waste can also be reused or recycled. For example, leftover food can be donated to
food banks or used to create compost. Additionally, food scraps can feed animals or be put into
anaerobic digestion systems to create energy (Food Waste Management, 2020).
The enormous amounts of resources that are needed for the production, processing, and
transportation of food bring attention to the fact that there is an urgent need to carry out
acceptable uses for food waste. Although it is recommended to use organic material by a
cascading usage, the majority of the time, energetic use is what happens. However, organic
material incorporates various secondary raw materials, such as organic molecules that have
been functionalized. Organic molecules have their one-of-a-kind functional groups, which are
desperately required to deal with the finite nature of fossil fuels. However, an industrial
utilization method that only relies on discarded food as feedstock is paradoxical, given that it is
built on behavior that cannot be sustained over time. Efforts made to reduce the amount of
wasted food have, as a direct consequence, an effect on the availability of feedstock for
utilization processes. For reasons of economics, it is presumed that a more significant
proportion of edible food fractions be processed, for example, in biorefineries, to produce high-
value goods.

Critique of Innovations:
The various approaches to reducing food waste in the Foodservice Industry have their
benefits and drawbacks. Packaging and labeling technologies can help reduce spoilage but also
lead to increased costs and resources. Composting and portion control can help reduce the
amount of food waste, but they can also be challenging to implement and monitor. Meal kits
and meal delivery services can help reduce food waste, but they can also be expensive and
time-consuming. Finally, intelligent refrigerators can help reduce food waste, but they can also
be challenging to maintain.

Conclusion:
Food loss is a rising concern in the Foodservice Industry, and several inventive solutions
have been created to combat the problem. These approaches have benefits and drawbacks,
and it is essential to consider them before deciding. By using innovative solutions such as
compositing, anaerobic digestion, prevention, reuse, and recycling, food service establishments
can reduce their environmental impact and become more efficient and cost-effective.
Ultimately, the goal is to find a balance between reducing food waste and providing.

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