Food Loss and Waste in Food Supply Chains
A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Systems".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 March 2026 | Viewed by 2
Special Issue Editors
Interests: food and nutrition security; agricultural and rural development; poverty reduction; the transformation of food systems; global food security
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Food loss and waste (FLW) represent a critical global challenge, with profound impacts on food security, resource efficiency, environmental sustainability, and economic development. Significant edible products are lost or wasted across the entire supply chain—from agricultural production and post-harvest handling to processing, distribution, retail, and consumption. This not only undermines the efficiency of food systems but also leads to considerable greenhouse gas emissions, water and land misuse, and economic costs. With growing awareness of sustainability and the urgent need to address climate change, reducing FLW has become a priority for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners. Recent studies highlight innovative strategies to prevent and reduce FLW at each stage of the supply chain, while also exploring opportunities for the valorization and circular use of unavoidable food waste. By integrating technological innovations, improved supply chain management, consumer behavior change, and supportive policy interventions, it is possible to enhance resource efficiency and minimize environmental impacts. Academic research on FLW has expanded rapidly, underscoring its global importance. Emerging approaches such as life cycle assessment, digital technologies for monitoring and traceability, and circular economy models provide new pathways to mitigate FLW and transform waste into valuable resources. This Special Issue seeks to bring together interdisciplinary insights on the drivers, impacts, and solutions to FLW, contributing to scientific advancement and the achievement of sustainable development goals.
Prof. Dr. Shenggen Fan
Dr. Li Xue
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- food loss
- food waste
- supply chain management
- circular economy
- resource efficiency
- policy interventions
- mitigation strategy
- sustainability transitions
- climate change
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