DECISIVE’s scientific paper titled “Towards transparent valorization of food surplus, waste and loss: Clarifying definitions, food waste hierarchy, and role in the circular economy” got recently cited in the European Commission’s brief on food waste in the European Union.

The study reviews and clarifies current terminology related to food waste, in particular, the terms food surplus, waste and losses. This work further highlights why the clarity of these definitions is crucial for the sustainability of future food waste management systems, especially in the context of circular economy. Based on the findings, an updated pyramid for food waste hierarchy is proposed, distinguishing surplus food and a new category for material recycling, in order to reflect the future food waste biorefineries in the circular bioeconomy.

Source: www.decisive2020.eu