Tools to understand where, how much and why food is lost; prioritise interventions; implement improvements; and verify economic, nutritional and environmental outcomes.
Addressing the problem across the supply chain
This Centre covers
The identification, measurement, prevention, reduction, recovery and monitoring of food loss and waste, from production to consumption.
- Quantities and economic value.
- Lost quality and nutrients.
- Associated environmental impacts.
- Operational, commercial and organisational causes.
Its relationship with Postharvest
The Postharvest Centre will explore physiology, quality, preservation, cold chains, packaging and technologies for plant products in greater depth. The two Centres connect where postharvest deterioration leads to quantitative or qualitative losses.
COMPLEMENTARY, NOT DUPLICATED
Understand, assess, implement and verify
Define the system
Define the product, process, stakeholders, stages and destinations of material flows.
- Concepts and scope
- Value chain
- Prevention hierarchy
Measure and prioritise
Quantify losses, identify critical points and assess consequences.
- Baseline
- Loss mapping
- Causes and indicators
Address the causes
Select preventive and operational measures, along with appropriate recovery options.
- Management plan
- Process improvement
- Responsible valorisation
Demonstrate improvement
Compare results with the baseline and sustain learning.
- Indicators and targets
- Monitoring
- Review and improvement
From assessment to a verifiable strategy
Measurement and baseline
Define units, system boundaries, frequency, quantification methods and data quality.
Causes and critical points
Link losses to operations, specifications, demand, logistics, behaviour and management decisions.
Prevention and recovery
Prioritise prevention and consider redistribution, processing, valorisation or other appropriate destinations.
Management and continual improvement
Turn findings into assigned responsibilities, actions, deadlines, indicators, verification and organisational learning.
More than kilograms are lost
| Dimension | What to measure | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Quantitative | Mass, volume, units and the proportion of the flow. | Establish the scale of the problem and make comparisons. |
| Economic | Costs incurred, sales value and management costs. | Prioritise opportunities and justify investments. |
| Nutritional | Energy, protein, fibre and micronutrients lost. | Make the loss of nutritional value visible. |
| Environmental | Associated water, energy, materials, emissions and waste. | Avoid shifting impacts between stages or destinations. |
| Operational | Yield, rework, rejects, time and causes. | Direct action towards the process generating the loss. |
Four modules based on the official guide
This pathway organises food loss management into a straightforward sequence: assess the situation, locate critical points, quantify losses and turn the results into an action plan. The four modules and reference guide are currently available in Spanish.
Management self-assessment
An initial assessment of organisational practices, capabilities and gaps.
Start the self-assessment (in Spanish)Map of critical loss points
Identify stages, causes, controls and priority points for intervention.
Build the map (in Spanish)Food loss quantification
Record quantities and compare losses across products, stages or periods.
Quantify losses (in Spanish)Management and prioritisation plan
Turn assessment findings into actions, responsibilities, targets, deadlines and indicators.
Create the plan (in Spanish)Guide to Food Loss Management in SMEs
Technical guidance underpinning the basic approach and supporting the use of all four modules. SMEs are small and medium-sized enterprises.
Read the guide (PDF in Spanish)From visible loss to demonstrable improvement
The first stage is to organise and connect existing resources. Short guides on measurement, mapping, destination hierarchies and indicators will follow.