Understanding food surplus: Challenges and strategies for reducing food waste – A mini-review

Abstract

Food waste constitutes one of the major obstacles to building sustainable food systems. While there is a wealth of research on the primary causes of food waste, little attention has been given to the link between surplus production and waste generation. Current approaches to reducing food waste predominantly focus on redistributing surplus rather than preventing its formation. This study conducted a systematic literature review (SLR) to delve into the concept of food surplus and understand its relationship to food waste. It also seeks to pinpoint the key challenges and limitations of redistributing food surplus. This SLR revealed that the definition of food surplus is ambiguous and lacks clear parameters for determining what qualifies food as surplus. As a result, food edible for consumption is often categorized as surplus and may or may not be recovered. The classification of food as surplus or waste is intricate and is influenced more by economic factors than physical characteristics. While food redistribution via food banks is crucial for addressing food insecurity, it encounters technical and operational obstacles that limit high levels of food recovery. Therefore, preventive strategies should be implemented to curb overproduction, which appears to be the root cause of surplus formation and waste. However, reducing overproduction requires structural changes in the current food system logic.