Work

Promoting sustainable food production through waste reduction and valorization: a California case study

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Food waste poses significant challenges to global food security, environmental sustainability, and resource efficiency. This study examines waste in California’s specialty crops (tree nuts and fruits) across pre-harvest, harvest, and post-harvest stages, highlighting issues like overproduction, natural disasters, pests, labor costs, and poor handling. Solutions include good agricultural practices, good handling practices, hazard analysis and critical control points, green technologies, and resource recovery. A bio-circular economy approach is proposed, focusing on waste valorization and education to build sustainable food systems.

Source: npj Materials Sustainability

DOI: 10.1038/s44296-025-00060-0

Authors: Leili Afsah-Hejri, Mohammadmehdi Maharlooei, Reza Ehsani, Roya Maboudian

Institutions: University of California, Merced, University of California, Berkeley

Language: English

Topic: Food Waste Reduction and Sustainability

Subfield: Food Science

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDGs: Responsible consumption and production, Zero hunger

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,190