Business Level

Culinary businesse’s lack knowledge on food waste and most of them aren’t aware of how to approach this problem.  There isn’t a clear connection between policy’s and food business.  More educational campaigns on food waste must be directed to the food industry explaining how they can decrease food waste.

A couple of ways food business’s avoided food waste was by giving away leftovers to their employers, and giving doggy bags (leftover food for dogs)  for customers.

Solutions in food planning, staff & customer education, and business incentives can help decrease food waste.

One solutions available is having the option of tracking the amount of food waste but this is not a concern for food business owners and even if they do its inaccurate since its just visually recored.

A pleasing option for food business would be donating pre-consumed food (edible food not served to customers yet) to charitable organizations, in return give them tax deductions as well as not worrying about any liability since the The Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes (PATH) Act shields them from any lawsuits caused from the food consumed.

Other solutions like measuring what foods on the menu sale less, storing food in freezers when not needed, consider portion food sizes, staff and customer communication about food waste, grant business certifications about food waste friendly.  Have food waste bins ready for collection companies and especially reducing too much food stock instead aim for less.

 

Pak Nina., Potts D. Matthew., Sakaguchi Leo. “Tackling the issue of food waste in restaurants: Options for measurement method, reduction and behavioral change”. Journal of Cleaner Production, Science Direct,Volume 180, Pages 430-436, ElSEVIER, 10 April 2018, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2017.12.136

 

 

Government level

Large companies as well have to step up and address the problem. The Huston-Galveston Area Council an organization in Texas proposed an ongoing state government plan to decrease food waste in 2016.  Their plan can easily be a form of solution on this issue and a influence.

Starting from where food waste is started, in food processing companies like restaurants, the goal is to educate these directly businesses about food waste and develop materials like food waste bins so recycling can be executed correctly.

Second persuade waste collection companies to take an interest in food waste and provide it as one of their services.

Third persuade food waste processing companies to accept meats, fat, diary rather then just vegetables.

Fourth  provide a geographic location system of collecting and processing waste companies as well as expanding the education on food companies like restaurants and such who show a great deal of interest in food waste.

Lastly develop an orientation guide for local governments that can help promote food waste diversion from landfills and influence the decrease of food waste.

Crain Stephanie, Mergo Cheryl, Livingston Erin, Sines Mandy. “Comercial Food Waste Collection Assessment”. BioCycle, EBSCO, Vol. 57 Issue 6, p26-2, JG Press Inc., Jul2016.