Macro-Nutrient Loss Associated With Food Waste in Cafe and Food Court of Addis Ababa Science and Technology University (AASTU)
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Date
2021-12-28
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Background: Various researchers have reported that one third of food that we produced were wasted per capital per year in the globe which can cover daily recommended intake of millions people. Previous study showed that wasted food in consumer level contains between 1,249 and 1,400 kcal per capita per day, but there is no study on energy and macronutrient loss in Ethiopia café, restaurant and mass catering service provider that embedded along with wasted foods.
Objective: To assess the prevalence of macronutrient loss that are embedded in wasted food in the catering service provider and contextualize the amount of nutrient loss in terms of gaps between current and recommended intakes
Methods: Institution based cross-sectional study conducted at Addis Ababa Science and Technology University. A representative sample size of 350 plates (consumers) were-selected to participate in the study. Simple random sampling technique used to select the study participants. Randomly selected male and female students considered in the study. Interviewer administered questionnaire for sociodemographic and direct weight measurements used to collect the data. Crude food waste (plate leftover) data converted to its equivalent macronutrient loss based on local food composition data and the results of laboratory-based analysis of nutrient composition of the food. The collected data entered and processed by SPSS, to analyze the descriptive and inferential statistical analysis. Mean comparison analysis was used after setting statistical significance at α= 0.05. Independent T-test analysis conducted to compare the significance different between male and female mean values.
Results: three hundred fifty adults took part in the study with a response rate of 91.9 %, of whom 320 (91.9%) were AASTU café‘ consumers. The prevalence of food waste was 31.7 %, 46.1 %, 26.9 and 21.8 % for Injera, bread, cooked pea and lentils, respectively; while it was 40% for vegetables (cooked cabbage). The wasted food contained equivalent number of loss: energy 13538 MJ, 107 protein, 517 Carbohydrate, 71 total Fat, 2,104 dietary fiber Kg per capita per day. There were significant difference in Carbohydrate and energy equivalent loss (P<0.05); female plate loss (M= 175.8, SD= 37.5) was higher than male (M=119.7, SD= 34.0) and energy equivalent loss for female (M= 897.9, SD= 203) was lower than male (M=952.9, SD= 188). Mean energy loss could cover on average 46.5 % energy (Kcal/d) of adult female and male
RDA. Carbohydrate equivalent loss (g/capita/d) covered on average 65.5% of the lower range of AMDR (45-65 %Energy). Protein equivalent loss embedded in the food waste also could cover on average 46% of Protein EAR (66 g/d) for adult age female and male. Using carbohydrate as an example, 517g carbohydrate loss mean that 55% more of the Recommended Dietary Allowance for adult woman. This is equivalent to the carbohydrate Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for an average 1870 adults and the amount of wasted macronutrients are equivalent to cover the gap for 3738 adults‘ food energy requirement per day.
Conclusion and recommendation: This was the first study to document the loss of macro- nutrients from selected common staple food waste in the Institution based food supply. Even if only a small portion of discarded food can practically be made obtainable for human consumption, efforts to redistribute surplus foods where appropriate and prevent food waste in the first place could increase the availability of nutrients for needy, while saving money and natural resources.
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Food Loss and Waste, Macronutrient