Magnitude, Causes and Scope for Reducing Food Losses in the Baking and Confectionery Industry—A Multi-Method Approach

Reducing food wastage is one of the challenges in achieving global food security and transforming current food systems. Since human nutrition is closely dependent on cereal production, research was undertaken aimed at understanding the food losses in the baking and confectionery industry (BCI) in Po...

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Main Authors: Elżbieta Goryńska-Goldmann, Michał Gazdecki, Krystyna Rejman, Sylwia Łaba, Joanna Kobus-Cisowska, Krystian Szczepański
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-09-01
Series:Agriculture
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/11/10/936
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author Elżbieta Goryńska-Goldmann
Michał Gazdecki
Krystyna Rejman
Sylwia Łaba
Joanna Kobus-Cisowska
Krystian Szczepański
author_facet Elżbieta Goryńska-Goldmann
Michał Gazdecki
Krystyna Rejman
Sylwia Łaba
Joanna Kobus-Cisowska
Krystian Szczepański
author_sort Elżbieta Goryńska-Goldmann
collection DOAJ
description Reducing food wastage is one of the challenges in achieving global food security and transforming current food systems. Since human nutrition is closely dependent on cereal production, research was undertaken aimed at understanding the food losses in the baking and confectionery industry (BCI) in Poland, in particular at determining the volume, reasons and ways of reducing losses, identifying possibly all of the reasons for losses in BCI using the Ishikawa 5M + 1E diagram and determining the level of significance and probability of risk of food losses in the analysed sector. Two research methods were used. Quantitative data were collected using the mass balance method from five businesses that served as case studies. Qualitative data were collected through individual in-depth interviews with 17 industry experts. The companies’ average daily losses ranged from 0.8 to 6.4 tons, representing 9.7 to 14.4% of production volume, including 10.4–13.4% of bread losses and 6.8–24.4% of fresh pastry losses. The highest losses were generated by transport departments and these were exclusively retail returns. Following the Ishikawa concept, 31 primary and 94 secondary reasons for food losses were identified. Using the probability of loss risk, a toolkit for loss prevention and mitigation across all departments within businesses (raw materials magazine, production section, final product magazine and final product transport) and a set of horizontal tools were identified, including specialised training for employees and activities in several areas, e.g., technical status and production technology, organisation and planning, logistics and sales and cooperation with retail. This study, conducted in Poland, offers valuable results for developing programmes and strategies to prevent and manage food losses in BCI. Many of the solutions proposed in both toolkits can bring economic benefits without involving additional high costs.
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spelling doaj.art-0f58048a6c844a2e84346a94b9626d942023-11-22T17:04:30ZengMDPI AGAgriculture2077-04722021-09-01111093610.3390/agriculture11100936Magnitude, Causes and Scope for Reducing Food Losses in the Baking and Confectionery Industry—A Multi-Method ApproachElżbieta Goryńska-Goldmann0Michał Gazdecki1Krystyna Rejman2Sylwia Łaba3Joanna Kobus-Cisowska4Krystian Szczepański5Department of Economics and Economy Policy in Agribusiness, Faculty of Economics, Poznan University of Life Sciences (PULS), Wojska Polskiego Str. 28, 60-637 Poznań, PolandDepartment of Economics and Economy Policy in Agribusiness, Faculty of Economics, Poznan University of Life Sciences (PULS), Wojska Polskiego Str. 28, 60-637 Poznań, PolandDepartment of Food Market and Consumer Research, Institute of Human Nutrition Sciences, Warsaw University of Life Sciences (WULS-SGGW), Nowoursynowska Str. 159 C, 02-776 Warsaw, PolandInstitute of Environmental Protection—National Research Institute (IEP-NRI), Krucza Str. 5/11D, 00-548 Warsaw, PolandDepartment of Gastronomy Sciences and Functional Foods, Faculty of Food Science and Nutrition, Poznan University of Life Sciences (PULS), Wojska Polskiego Str. 28, 60-637 Poznań, PolandInstitute of Environmental Protection—National Research Institute (IEP-NRI), Krucza Str. 5/11D, 00-548 Warsaw, PolandReducing food wastage is one of the challenges in achieving global food security and transforming current food systems. Since human nutrition is closely dependent on cereal production, research was undertaken aimed at understanding the food losses in the baking and confectionery industry (BCI) in Poland, in particular at determining the volume, reasons and ways of reducing losses, identifying possibly all of the reasons for losses in BCI using the Ishikawa 5M + 1E diagram and determining the level of significance and probability of risk of food losses in the analysed sector. Two research methods were used. Quantitative data were collected using the mass balance method from five businesses that served as case studies. Qualitative data were collected through individual in-depth interviews with 17 industry experts. The companies’ average daily losses ranged from 0.8 to 6.4 tons, representing 9.7 to 14.4% of production volume, including 10.4–13.4% of bread losses and 6.8–24.4% of fresh pastry losses. The highest losses were generated by transport departments and these were exclusively retail returns. Following the Ishikawa concept, 31 primary and 94 secondary reasons for food losses were identified. Using the probability of loss risk, a toolkit for loss prevention and mitigation across all departments within businesses (raw materials magazine, production section, final product magazine and final product transport) and a set of horizontal tools were identified, including specialised training for employees and activities in several areas, e.g., technical status and production technology, organisation and planning, logistics and sales and cooperation with retail. This study, conducted in Poland, offers valuable results for developing programmes and strategies to prevent and manage food losses in BCI. Many of the solutions proposed in both toolkits can bring economic benefits without involving additional high costs.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/11/10/936baking and confectionery industry (BCI)companiesbreadbread productionfood losses and wastecauses and reduction of food losses
spellingShingle Elżbieta Goryńska-Goldmann
Michał Gazdecki
Krystyna Rejman
Sylwia Łaba
Joanna Kobus-Cisowska
Krystian Szczepański
Magnitude, Causes and Scope for Reducing Food Losses in the Baking and Confectionery Industry—A Multi-Method Approach
Agriculture
baking and confectionery industry (BCI)
companies
bread
bread production
food losses and waste
causes and reduction of food losses
title Magnitude, Causes and Scope for Reducing Food Losses in the Baking and Confectionery Industry—A Multi-Method Approach
title_full Magnitude, Causes and Scope for Reducing Food Losses in the Baking and Confectionery Industry—A Multi-Method Approach
title_fullStr Magnitude, Causes and Scope for Reducing Food Losses in the Baking and Confectionery Industry—A Multi-Method Approach
title_full_unstemmed Magnitude, Causes and Scope for Reducing Food Losses in the Baking and Confectionery Industry—A Multi-Method Approach
title_short Magnitude, Causes and Scope for Reducing Food Losses in the Baking and Confectionery Industry—A Multi-Method Approach
title_sort magnitude causes and scope for reducing food losses in the baking and confectionery industry a multi method approach
topic baking and confectionery industry (BCI)
companies
bread
bread production
food losses and waste
causes and reduction of food losses
url https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/11/10/936
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