Collective food service is considered a major source of food waste. In order to acquire detailed data of food loss and waste generation in this sector, the waste of one Food and Nutrition Unit (FNU) was classified into categories: inventory losses and storage losses in food processing, distribution and return. The study sought to identify and quantify the waste generated over five days at a FNU located inside an automobile parts manufacturing shop in the city of Taubaté, SP, and we proposed an action plan to reduce the environmental impact based upon the three r's principle. In order to serve 2,740 meals, 486.6 kg of solid waste were generated, resulting in an average per capita of 0.177 kg / day of waste. The waste was distributed as follows: 58.0% in food processing, 31.9% in returns and 10.1% in stock and storage. Of the total solid waste, 85% was organic compounds of unwanted portions of vegetables and meat, food scraps, leftovers from dinners, expired food and food samples, and 15% was composed of waste paper/cardboard, plastics and cans. The largest waste generation was due to the disposal of inedible food, food scraps produced and rest-intake, these results are related to waste food, 100% intended for composting. As for the other waste, 80% was destined for recycling and 20% was taken to the landfill.
Environmental sciences; food service; waste food
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