The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations (FAO) estimates that 32 percent of all food
produced in the world was lost or wasted in 2009. This
estimate is based on weight. When converted into calories,
global food loss and waste amounts to approximately 24
percent of all food produced. Essentially, one out of every
four food calories intended for people is not ultimately
consumed by them.
Food loss and waste have many negative economic and
environmental impacts. Economically, they represent a
wasted investment that can reduce farmers’ incomes and
increase consumers’ expenses. Environmentally, food loss
and waste inflict a host of impacts, including unnecessary
greenhouse gas emissions and inefficiently used water and
land, which in turn can lead to diminished natural ecosystems
and the services they provide.
“Food loss and waste” refers to the edible parts of plants
and animals that are produced or harvested for human
consumption but that are not ultimately consumed by
people. In particular, “food loss” refers to food that spills,
spoils, incurs an abnormal reduction in quality such as
bruising or wilting, or otherwise gets lost before it reaches
the consumer. Food loss is the unintended result of an
agricultural process or technical limitation in storage,
infrastructure, packaging, or marketing. “Food waste”
refers to food that is of good quality and fit for human
consumption but that does not get consumed because it
is discarded—either before or after it spoils. Food waste
is the result of negligence or a conscious decision to throw
food away.