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Current Practices of Food Waste Management in Selected Restaurants around Intramuros

CHAPTER 1
THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND
Introduction
Food waste or food loss is food that is discarded, lost, or uneaten. The two are similar, but
have key distinctions within their definitions. The causes of food waste or loss are numerous, and
occur at the stages of production, processing, retailing and consumption.
Current estimates put global food loss and waste between one-third and one-half of all
food produced. Loss and wastage occurs at all stages of the food supply chain or value chain. In
low-income countries, most loss occurs during production, while in developed countries much
food about 100 kilograms (220 lbs) per person per year is wasted at the consumption stage.
Every day restaurants around the world throw away tons of food while many people on
the same planet are dying from hunger. Our reality is full of contradictory facts that we can
ignore or not. For someone this will be good reason to get concerns and take care of their food
waste, and the other will need more reason for that. Maybe good reason will be data issued by
the study of University of Arizona that says that the percentage of food waste in fast-food
restaurants is about 9.55 % and in restaurants with full service 11.3 % of the total amount of
purchased food. Cost of food for the preparation of meals is the second largest expense in the
restaurants industry, right after personnel costs. This study will help us confirm on how we can
reduce these food wastes and losses, also to establish a better management on food disposal on
any restaurant.

Background of the Study


There is enough food in the world for everyone, according to the World Food
Programme. Yet one-third of all food is wasted globally. Over 1.3 billion tons of food is lost each
year, the latest findings of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) from 2011 showed. Dr
Liza Bordey of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PRRI) and Hazel Antonio, director of the
National Year of the Rice 2013 campaign, provided Rappler a copy of the latest available rice
wastage estimates from 2008. Each Filipino wasted an average of 3.29kg/year, according to the
Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (FNRIDOST).
The estimated rice wastage that year was 296,869 metric tons (MT), which accounted for
12.2% of the year's rice imports. The loss amounted to P7.3 billion. With the same amount, more
than 2 million Filipinos could have been fed. This is just in terms of rice, excluding the other
kinds of food and resources we waste.
FAO defines "food loss" as a decrease in the quantity or quality (nutritional value) of
food intended for human consumption. This means that food loss may already happen even
before it reaches consumers. It occurs during the production, postharvest, and processing stages
of the food supply chain.
In the Philippines, the lack of modern agricultural technologies, resources and skills,
infrastructure like irrigation systems and farm-to-market roads, land tenure, support for research,
innovation, and agricultural workers contribute to food loss.

These deficiencies are mostly due to the financial limitations experienced by Filipino
farmers and fisher folk, as well as the lack of government funding. Food loss impacts not only on
food security, but also the countrys economy and environment. It harms agricultural livelihoods,
hence affecting food prices, production, and supply ultimately lowering agricultures share in
the countrys economy. Poor production may compromise not only the food security of the
families of agricultural workers, but also the household food security of Filipino consumers.
Food loss also harms the environment since producing food that will not be consumed
leads to unnecessary carbon dioxide emissions, FAO explained.
This can then intensify the effects of climate change, hence repeating the same pattern:
food losses food insecurity economic and environmental implications food losses. Unless
proper interventions are made, this vicious cycle can go on for years.
Types of food loss
FAO identified 5 types of food loss among crop and livestock products, depending on
which level of the food supply chain they occurred:
Agricultural production
Postharvest handling, storage, transportation
Processing
Distribution, marketing, retailing
Consumption (household level)
Food loss at the consumption level is called "food waste." The term "food wastage"
encompasses both food loss and food waste, as defined by FAO. According to FAO, among

developing countries like the Philippines, much of the food loss occurs before the consumption
stage. More than 40% of food losses occur during the production, postharvest, and processing
stages.
During postharvest in the Philippines, the physical rice losses can reach 15%, the
International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) reported. In the production process, water,
fertilizers, labor, seeds, fuel, and other agricultural inputs are also wasted.

Statement of the Problem


This study aims to know how to find out what current practices of waste disposal are used
by the selected restaurants. The study sought to answer the following questions:
1. What are the practices being observed by the selected restaurant regarding food waste
disposal?
2. What are the studies that may help improve food waste management?
3. What are the ways to lessen or prevent food waste and loss in selected restaurant
around Intramuros?
Objective of the Study
The main objective of this study is to determine the current practices of food waste
management in selected restaurant in Intramuros. The objectives of this study are the following:

To conceptualize and design a waste segregation system that is applicable for

the selected restaurants.


To know the common practices on waste disposal and improve it
To reduce and manage food waste and provide actions that will help create a

better way of disposal and prevent food from being wasted.


To determine what practices best work for selected restaurant in Intramuros.
To propose improvement offered by selected restaurant in Intramuros.

Hypothesis
This study tested the null hypothesis that there are no significant difference between the
practices in terms of food waste disposal by the selected restaurants in Intramuros.
Significance of the Study

This study will be conducted to be able to help the selected restaurant in Intramuros to
have a more standard and proper food waste management to prevent food loss or waste. This
study will be beneficial to the restaurant as they will be given the chance to improve their system
in terms of waste disposal by which will be analyze by the researchers. This will also benefit the
restaurant to improve their management regarding food waste and for them to be knowledgeable
on what will make their establishment lessen food loss. Other restaurants that will be established
in the near future will also benefit from this study in a way that they will have an idea especially
for those who are planning to build restaurant from which have enough idea on what current
practice of waste disposal they will apply to be efficient and sustain lesser loss in the food
industry.
It is also for the restaurant to be able to get competitive with other restaurants in the
category of minimizing their lost and improving the efficiency of supply to be put in great use.
Scope and Limitation of the Study
The study covers only the food waste management of selected restaurants around
Intramuros. It focuses on the analysis of food establishment for the proper ways of food disposal
and waste management for us to know if they can save more food being served rather than being
wasted upon improper consuming of food products.
This study was based on the information or data we have gathered from restaurants in and
out of Intramuros. They are categorized by the genre or theme of the restaurant. The restaurants
targeted are those that comply to our request with due process of letter submitted to them.

Definition of Terms

Consumption. Is the act of availing goods and services


Contradictory. Consists of a logical incompatibility between two or more propositions. It occurs
when the propositions, taken together, yield two conclusions which form the logical, usually
opposite inversions of each other.
Wastage. The action or process of losing or destroying something by using it carelessly or
extravagantly.
Infrastructure. The basic physical and organizational structures and facilities needed for the
operation of a society or enterprise.
Irrigation. Is the method in which water is supplied to plants at regular intervals for agriculture.
It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and
revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall.
Postharvest. Is the stage of crop production immediately following harvest, including cooling,
cleaning, sorting and packing.
Processing. perform a series of mechanical or chemical operations on (something) in order to
change or preserve it.
Acronyms
FAO. Food and Agriculture Organization
PRRI. Philippine Rice Research Institute
FNRI-DOST. Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and
Technology

MT. Metric Ton


IRRI. International Rice Research Institute

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