Browsing by Subject "Food waste"

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    Nutritional Value and Benefits of Food Waste as Potential Feed Ingredients in Swine Diets
    (2019-08) Fung, Chi Fai Leonard
    The increasing generation of food waste over the past decades has become a prominent threat to both the society and the environment in terms of food security, wasting limited natural resources and pollution. The objective of this thesis was to quantify the nutritional, economic, and environmental value of food waste derived at multiple sources as swine feed in order to divert these wasted materials into a reusable form to salvage the resources. Chapter 2 explored the different sources of food waste from the generation streams and determined that food waste generated at the upper stream of the food supply chain have greater values than the ones generated at the lower part of the chain. We then evaluated the feeding value of different upper stream food waste- in-vivo such as Fish Waste, Supermarket Waste and Fruit and Vegetable Waste in Chapter 3. The results concluded that supermarket waste has the greatest potential to be utilized as animal feed owing to its high amino acid and energy content. Finally, in Chapter 4 we explored the possible environmental benefits of these food waste sources in which supermarket waste appeared to be most environmentally advantageous when used to replace traditional ingredients such as corn and soybean meal. Overall, it appears that food waste, especially those generated upstream, has great value to be used as animal feed considering both nutritionally and environmentally. To conclude, the information discussed in the thesis can help establish the basic knowledge of how food waste can be utilized in farm animals feeding programs and hence, providing confidence to reducing the overall volume of wasted food in the society and increasing the sustainability of our food system.
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    Providing flexible food portions in a restaurant setting: Impact on business operations, food consumption and food waste
    (2015-04) Berkowitz, Sarah Elizabeth
    Large portion sizes in restaurants have been identified as a public health risk.The objectives of this study were to assess the impact of adding reduced-portion menu items to the menu on customer selection, energy and nutrient intake, plate waste and business operations. A field experiment was conducted to examine the impact of offering flexible portion sizes in 2 food service environments: a cafeteria setting and a sit-down restaurant setting in St. Paul MN. Patrons were surveyed at the beginning and end of the study to assess current usage, dining needs and frequency of healthful behaviors. Purchasing, consumption and food waste data were collected throughout the study. Reduced sized portions were added to the menus halfway through the study in the spring of 2013. The management teams were interviewed at the completion of the study. Sales data show that reduced-portion entrees made up 10-30% of entrée sales across both food service environments. Energy and nutrient intakes decreased and food waste was reduced at both locations. The management teams both reported the added items provided higher profit margins or cost savings and improved customer satisfaction. Both locations have implemented the menu changes indefinitely. These outcomes could serve as the foundation for future work with reduced-portion sized menu items in different types of restaurant settings to promote public health.