A Quantitative and Qualitative Study of Food Loss in Glasshouse-Grown Tomatoes

Biological factors and production challenges drive significant UK fruit and vegetable loss

BACKGROUND

Food loss and waste estimates are highly inconsistent as a result of methodological and systemic differences. Additionally, the absence of in-depth evidence surrounding the biological drivers of food loss and waste precludes targeted mitigation action. To address this challenge, we undertook a metanalysis utilising a systematic literature review combined with industry stakeholder surveys to examine the incidence of food loss and waste in the UK fruit and vegetable supply chain between primary production and retail.

RESULTS

We estimated that 37% of fruit and vegetables, equivalent to 2.4 Mt of produce, is lost between production and sale. In the UK, primary production is the main stage responsible for these losses (58%), and is dominated by four crops (apple, onion, carrot and potato), which contribute 71% of total food loss and waste. Quality and supply/demand mismatch are the core drivers, combined with limited ability to control postharvest quality decline as a result of technical or economic barriers.

CONCLUSIONS

Innate biological mechanisms contribute to, and detract from, marketable quality generating food loss risks where these cannot be adequately modified or controlled. Through climate change effects, reduced pesticide availability, changing consumer behaviour and increased pressure to reduce resource/energy inputs during pre- and postharvest handling, food loss and waste risk is likely to increase in the short term unless targeted, coordinated action is taken to actively promote its mitigation. © 2024 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Effect of combining UV-C irradiation and vacuum sealing on the shelf life of fresh strawberries and tomatoes

This research presents the effect of combining UV-C irradiation and vacuum sealing on the shelf life of strawberries and quartered tomatoes and compares it with the effect of the sole use of UV-C irradiation or vacuum sealing. A constant UV-C dose of 360 J/m² was used for the samples' irradiation, and all the vacuum-sealed samples were stored at a reduced pressure of 40 kPa. Organoleptic analysis, microbial population quantification of yeast and mold, Pseudomonas sp., weight loss, and pH measurements were obtained to identify the spoilage occurrence, monitor the samples' quality, and quantify the shelf life. Sensory evaluation was conducted by 12 consumer panelists to evaluate the aroma, taste, color, texture, and the overall acceptance of the samples. The results revealed that the combination of UV-C irradiation and vacuum sealing prolongs the shelf life of perishables more than the sole use of UV-C irradiation or vacuum sealing. The achieved shelf-life increase using this combination was 124.41% and 54.41% for strawberries and quartered tomatoes, respectively, while acceptable sensory characteristics were maintained throughout the storage period. Hence, this food preservation method can be further improved and integrated in the daily life of modern consumers and the operations of fresh produce retailers, as it could effectively reduce the spoilage rates of fresh produce and help achieve the UN SDG 12.3, which aims to reduce food loss and waste by 50% by 2030 at the consumer and retail levels. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The system can be further developed and introduced to the market as a kitchen appliance for households or as a predistribution step for fresh produce distribution centers. The shelf-life extension capability of this system, which does not involve any use of chemical substances, would make it an attractive solution for households and food retailers.