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Food waste in hospitals: implications and strategies for reduction: a systematic review

Kamiar Mahmoudifar (Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran) (Student Research Committee, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran)
Ahmad Raeesi (Student Research Committee, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran)
Behzad Kiani (University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia)
Mitra Rezaie (Department of Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran)

Management of Environmental Quality

ISSN: 1477-7835

Article publication date: 30 September 2024

134

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the study is to comprehensively and extensively investigate food waste in hospitals and the environmental and economic effects it imposes on society. By knowing the reasons and factors affecting the creation of such wastes, it is possible to help reduce these effects.

Design/methodology/approach

This study was conducted by systematic search in PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct and Web of Science databases.

Findings

The results suggest that high-income countries such as Denmark, Sri Lanka, Portugal and Spain have more significant amounts of food waste than low-income countries like Turkey. The main reasons for food waste include inadequate food quality, low patient appetite and issues with the dining environment. Therefore, it is crucial to address these root causes to minimize food waste and alleviate the burden on the environment.

Research limitations/implications

The study relies primarily on secondary data analysis and does not include original food waste audits or interviews with hospital staff. While the literature review provides useful background, conducting first-hand audits and interviews could strengthen the study by providing more current, contextualized and granular insights into food waste in hospitals. The lack of primary data collection limits the ability to make hospital-specific recommendations or quantify the opportunity for improvement. Additionally, the focus is on general frameworks rather than interventions tailored to the needs and constraints of hospitals in low- and middle-income regions. More region-specific research would be needed to understand nuanced challenges and develop customized solutions suitable for implementation in those settings.

Originality/value

Effective measures can be taken to make policies and determine appropriate solutions to reduce these wastes. By recognizing the problems in structures, one can take steps to reduce global warming and waste of national funds.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This study was a systematic review of previous studies and no financial support was received from any organization. We would like to thank all the colleagues who have cooperated in the progress of this study. Our thanks go to Mashhad University of Medical Sciences Nutrition Department for providing the needed platform. The project is registered with the Research Committee of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences (with number 4021170), and we express our gratitude to the Committee.

Citation

Mahmoudifar, K., Raeesi, A., Kiani, B. and Rezaie, M. (2024), "Food waste in hospitals: implications and strategies for reduction: a systematic review", Management of Environmental Quality, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/MEQ-07-2023-0221

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2024, Emerald Publishing Limited

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