Household Food Waste Quantification and Cross-Examining the Official Figures: A Study on Household Wheat Bread Waste in Shiraz, Iran
The global consumer food waste (FW) estimates are mainly based on modeling data obtained from governments. However, a major data gap exists in FW at the household level, especially in developing countries. Meanwhile, the reliability of the existing data is questionable. This study aimed to quantify...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-04-01
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| Series: | Foods |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/11/9/1188 |
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| author | Shahin Ghaziani Delaram Ghodsi Karsten Schweikert Gholamreza Dehbozorgi Shiva Faghih Shabnam Mohabati Reiner Doluschitz |
| author_facet | Shahin Ghaziani Delaram Ghodsi Karsten Schweikert Gholamreza Dehbozorgi Shiva Faghih Shabnam Mohabati Reiner Doluschitz |
| author_sort | Shahin Ghaziani |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The global consumer food waste (FW) estimates are mainly based on modeling data obtained from governments. However, a major data gap exists in FW at the household level, especially in developing countries. Meanwhile, the reliability of the existing data is questionable. This study aimed to quantify wheat bread waste (HBW) in Shiraz, Iran, and cross-examine the governmental HBW data. Face-to-face waste recall questionnaire interviews were conducted in 419 households from December 2018 to August 2019. A multistage sampling strategy consisting of stratification, clustering, and systematic sampling was employed. Moreover, we carried out a comprehensive document review to extract and analyze the official HBW data. The results revealed that the HBW in Shiraz is 1.80%—the waste amounts for traditional bread and non-traditional bread were 1.70% and 2.50%, respectively. The survey results were compared with the previous official data, revealing a substantial contradiction with the 30% HBW reported between 1991 and 2015. Possible reasons for this disparity are explored in this paper. Although our results cannot be generalized to other food commodities and locations, our findings suggest that considering the substantial likelihood of bias in the official data, policymakers should conduct more FW measurements and re-evaluate the accuracy of the existing data. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:10:30Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-cace845232604582953c89ec3f523629 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2304-8158 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:10:30Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Foods |
| spelling | doaj.art-cace845232604582953c89ec3f5236292023-11-23T08:12:00ZengMDPI AGFoods2304-81582022-04-01119118810.3390/foods11091188Household Food Waste Quantification and Cross-Examining the Official Figures: A Study on Household Wheat Bread Waste in Shiraz, IranShahin Ghaziani0Delaram Ghodsi1Karsten Schweikert2Gholamreza Dehbozorgi3Shiva Faghih4Shabnam Mohabati5Reiner Doluschitz6Computer Applications and Business Management in Agriculture, University of Hohenheim (410C), 70593 Stuttgart, GermanyNational Nutrition and Food Technology Research Institute, Tehran 19816-19573, IranCore Facility Hohenheim (CFH), University of Hohenheim (640), 70593 Stuttgart, GermanyHorizon Smart SAT (Surveillance and Analysis Technology), Fars Science and Technology Park, Shiraz 71976-87811, IranDepartment of Community Nutrition, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz 71348-14336, IranDepartment of Community Nutrition, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz 71348-14336, IranComputer Applications and Business Management in Agriculture, University of Hohenheim (410C), 70593 Stuttgart, GermanyThe global consumer food waste (FW) estimates are mainly based on modeling data obtained from governments. However, a major data gap exists in FW at the household level, especially in developing countries. Meanwhile, the reliability of the existing data is questionable. This study aimed to quantify wheat bread waste (HBW) in Shiraz, Iran, and cross-examine the governmental HBW data. Face-to-face waste recall questionnaire interviews were conducted in 419 households from December 2018 to August 2019. A multistage sampling strategy consisting of stratification, clustering, and systematic sampling was employed. Moreover, we carried out a comprehensive document review to extract and analyze the official HBW data. The results revealed that the HBW in Shiraz is 1.80%—the waste amounts for traditional bread and non-traditional bread were 1.70% and 2.50%, respectively. The survey results were compared with the previous official data, revealing a substantial contradiction with the 30% HBW reported between 1991 and 2015. Possible reasons for this disparity are explored in this paper. Although our results cannot be generalized to other food commodities and locations, our findings suggest that considering the substantial likelihood of bias in the official data, policymakers should conduct more FW measurements and re-evaluate the accuracy of the existing data.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/11/9/1188food loss and wastefood waste accounting and datafood waste indexsustainabilitysustainable production and consumptionfood waste quantification |
| spellingShingle | Shahin Ghaziani Delaram Ghodsi Karsten Schweikert Gholamreza Dehbozorgi Shiva Faghih Shabnam Mohabati Reiner Doluschitz Household Food Waste Quantification and Cross-Examining the Official Figures: A Study on Household Wheat Bread Waste in Shiraz, Iran Foods food loss and waste food waste accounting and data food waste index sustainability sustainable production and consumption food waste quantification |
| title | Household Food Waste Quantification and Cross-Examining the Official Figures: A Study on Household Wheat Bread Waste in Shiraz, Iran |
| title_full | Household Food Waste Quantification and Cross-Examining the Official Figures: A Study on Household Wheat Bread Waste in Shiraz, Iran |
| title_fullStr | Household Food Waste Quantification and Cross-Examining the Official Figures: A Study on Household Wheat Bread Waste in Shiraz, Iran |
| title_full_unstemmed | Household Food Waste Quantification and Cross-Examining the Official Figures: A Study on Household Wheat Bread Waste in Shiraz, Iran |
| title_short | Household Food Waste Quantification and Cross-Examining the Official Figures: A Study on Household Wheat Bread Waste in Shiraz, Iran |
| title_sort | household food waste quantification and cross examining the official figures a study on household wheat bread waste in shiraz iran |
| topic | food loss and waste food waste accounting and data food waste index sustainability sustainable production and consumption food waste quantification |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/11/9/1188 |
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