Summary by: Alexandra Esteves, Carlos Ribeiro, Kamila Soares, Miguel Castro
Food waste (FW) in restaurants is a significant issue in the food service sector. Various factors contribute to this waste, including purchasing, preparation, cooking, storage, and service processes. In particular, waste from plate scraps and leftovers is a notable concern, especially in restaurants offering buffet services.
In the context of food services, it’s important to understand different types of waste:
- Leftovers: prepared food that remains undistributed;
- Plate waste: food served but not consumed;
- Uneaten leftovers: the proportion of unconsumed food compared to the total amount served [1-3].
A recent study conducted in Northern Portugal analysed FW in food service over 10 working days in three restaurants during lunchtime, where daily menus were served. One of the three analysed restaurants had higher peaks of food waste in terms of plate waste or scraps compared to the others. Upon examining the peak, it was found to be related to the fixed menu served on Wednesdays, in this case duck rice. Such findings can help a restaurant manage the reasons for such waste generation, whether through recipe improvement to increase consumer acceptability, serving size reduction, or by changing the menu. The reduction of serving size is an important factor that was observed in the other two studied restaurants, where the amount of food served was smaller, explaining the smaller amount of food waste each day. Some free online calculators help estimate the amount of food needed for a specific number of people or servings [4].
To sum up, we can highlight the following:
- When comparing meat and fish dishes, no significant differences in the quantity of unconsumed edible leftovers were found, suggesting that the amounts of plate waste generated by consumers were similar for both types of meals.
- After analysing the plate waste or scraps by food category, it was found that carbohydrate-rich foods, such as rice and potatoes, were the most wasted- most likely due to their portions being larger than protein and vegetable-based foods served.
- The percentage of leftovers ranged from 40 to 50%. In an effort to minimize waste, a portion of these leftovers is utilized for staff meals, while carbohydrate-rich foods are repurposed for evening meals.
This study served as an initial exploration of food waste in Portugal, paving the way for more in-depth research and the potential for further investigation in this field.
If you are interested in how the industry deals with plate waste, check out our other article delving into plate waste reduction methods in hotel breakfast buffets.
References:
[1] Van Herpen, E., De Hooge, I. E., de Visser-Amundson, A., & Kleijnen, M. (2021, November). Take it or leave it: How an opt-out strategy for doggy bags affects consumer food waste behavior and restaurant evaluations. Journal of Cleaner Production, 325, 129199. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.129199
[2] Betz, A., Buchli, J., Göbel, C., & Müller, C. (2015, January). Food waste in the Swiss food service industry – Magnitude and potential for reduction. Waste Management, 35, 218–226. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2014.09.015
[3] Henz, G. P., & Porpino, G. (2017, October). Food losses and waste: how Brazil is facing this global challenge? Horticultura Brasileira, 35(4), 472–482. https://doi.org/10.1590/s0102-053620170402
[4] Food Percentage Calculator. Savvy Calculator. Available online: https://savvycalculator.com/food-percentage-calculator/.
Based on: Castro, M. (2024). Master’s Thesis in Food Engineering: “Food Safety and Waste in Catering Units”. University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro.