{"id":1220,"date":"2025-10-23T09:00:31","date_gmt":"2025-10-23T09:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/foodstudies\/?p=1220"},"modified":"2025-10-24T02:19:38","modified_gmt":"2025-10-24T02:19:38","slug":"waste-in-the-food-system","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.dickinson.edu\/foodstudies\/2025\/10\/23\/waste-in-the-food-system\/","title":{"rendered":"Waste in the Food System"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Food Waste Problem <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

The Food and Agriculture Organization defines food waste as \u201cthe decrease in the quality or quantity of food resulting from decisions and actions by retailers, food service providers, and consumers.\u201d In the United States \u2013 as well as globally \u2013 we waste approximately 30-40% of our food (Canon, 2023). This tendency has significant implications for the climate, from growing landfills to\u00a0increased greenhouse gas emissions. But how did we get here in the first place? Where do these steep numbers come from? <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Sources of Food Waste <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

There are four main pathways of food waste: production, post-harvest\/post-handling, processing, and distribution\/consumption. Food can be wasted at any point in the food supply chain. At the production level, food may be lost due to overproduction and surplus. At the post-harvest\/post-handling level, food may be thrown away if it does not meet industry cosmetic standards. At the processing level, consumer preferences (e.g., pre-peeled, pre-chopped) lead to the waste of viable produce parts. Last but not least, distribution houses a particularly pervasive problem: food labels. Contrary to popular belief, these labels actually have nothing to do with food safety (Tanigawa, 2017). If we can\u2019t trust labels, then, how do we know when to throw things out?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Food Waste Solutions <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

While each pathway of food waste contributes to the wider problem, we can look to each pathway for solutions as well. On the consumer level, we can spread awareness to adjust behavior. With the case of food labels, we can teach individuals how to assess food safety and expiration using qualities like smell, texture, c<\/span>olor, and taste. On the processing level, we can modify expectations to increase acceptance of cosmetically \u201cimperfect\u201d products. In terms of production and distribution, Pennsylvania has some excellent local initiatives. The Pennsylvania Agriculture Surplus System reimburses farmers for donating their surplus goods. Pennsylvania\u00a0is also home to many Amish \u201cBent n\u2019 Dent\u201d grocery stores, which sell damaged products at discounted prices. Dickinson College students interested in a local Bent n\u2019 Dent can check out BB\u2019s Grocery Outlet, just 18 miles away in\u00a0Newburg!<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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BB’s Grocery Outlet – “Bents, Bumps, and a Bunch of Bargains”, Kirb Witmer<\/p><\/div>\n

Innovative Solution: Biodigesters\u00a0<\/span><\/h4>\n

Biodigesters are a unique and growing solution to food waste. These systems use anaerobic digestion to break down organic material and convert it into two reusable resources: biogas and digestate. These byproducts have numerous utilities. Biogas can be used for cooking, heating, <\/span>electricity, and even vehicle fuel. Digestate can be used as a nutrient rich fertilizer \u2013 a much more sustainable alternative to synthetics. The benefits of biodigester implementation are vast, and they go beyond the environment. Women and children in developing countries, for example, can be significantly advantaged in terms of health and life satisfaction with the help of biogas (Steiman, 2020). <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Diagram of anaerobic digestion in a biodigester, Power Knot<\/p><\/div>\n