Food waste causes annual losses of U.S. $ 750 billion

UN defends sustainability of the entire food chain , from producer to consumer
Agency for Brazil

( More than half of the food loss occurs in the initial phase of production - Photo : ThinkStok )

The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization ( FAO ) warned today ( 11 ) , in a study published in Rome (Italy ) , the waste with food in the world can cause about $ 750 billion annual losses . For the report , 1.3 billion tons of food wasted per year causing havoc in the soil and the environment . The study warns that the misuse of junk food also causes damage to the quality of life .

The director general of the FAO , José Graziano da Silva , said that preventive measures should be adopted by all - farmers , fishermen , food processors , supermarkets, local and national governments as well as consumers . " We have to make changes in all links of the food chain to prevent food wastage occurs , then we have to promote the reuse and recycling ," he said .

Graziano noted that there are situations that hinder food waste due to " improper practices " in production. He stressed that FAO has created a manual that shows measures adopted by national and local governments , farmers, businesses and consumers to solve the problem .

The executive director of the United Nations Program for Environment ( UNEP ) , Achim Steiner , said that the ideal is to seek the path of sustainability , which must adhere to all involved in the food chain - from producer to consumer .

For the report , 54 % of food waste in the world occur in the initial phase of production - in handling after harvesting and storage . The remaining 46 % of losses occurring in the stages of processing, distribution and consumption of food . The products that are lost during the process vary by region.

In Asia , the problem is the loss involving grains , particularly rice. The damage is less with meat , according to the data . However , waste fruits contribute significantly to the waste of water in the Asian continent as well as in Europe and Latin America .

In developing countries , the greatest losses occur at post-harvest stage . FAO recommends that an effort be made to guide collective crops and balance production with demand . It also makes suggestions on the reuse and recovery of food . A summary of the study , published today , is on page FAO .

Source : Globo Rural magazine