According to a survey, about one-third of the food that Americans buy is wasted.
According to a recent study by Penn State University researchers, American families waste a significant amount of food—roughly $240 billion annually.
Under the direction of Edward C. Jaenicke, Ph.D., a professor of agricultural economics in Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, the study examined information from 4,000 households that took part in the National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey (FoodAPS) conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The researchers discovered that about one-third of the food Americans buy is wasted.
“Our results are in line with earlier research, which indicates that between 30% and 40% of the food produced in the US is wasted. This implies that resources like labor, water, energy, and land are also squandered in producing the food that is not consumed,” Dr. Jaenicke said. “However, because there are no comprehensive, up-to-date data on uneaten food at the household level, it has been nearly impossible to estimate the level of food waste for individual households. This study is the first to identify and analyze that level of waste.”
Using biological measurements of the subjects gathered by FoodAPS, the researchers utilized nutritional science formulations to ascertain baseline metabolic rates and calculate the energy required for household members to maintain body weight, which they referred to as “output.” Wasted food was then calculated by finding the difference between the amount of food acquired and the amount needed to maintain body weight, the researchers said.
“We estimate that 31.9% of the food purchased by the average American household is wasted,” Dr. Jaenicke stated. The survey reveals that almost two-thirds of the households had food waste estimates ranging from 20% to 50%. Even the most frugal household, nevertheless, throws away 8.7% of the food it purchases.
Utilizing demographic information, the researchers examined the variations in food waste amongst households with various attributes. They discovered that waste production is higher in homes with higher incomes and in those that eat a diet heavy in fruits and vegetables.
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Programs that promote healthy eating could inadvertently result in increased waste, according to Dr. Jaenicke. “How can we fine-tune these programs to reduce potential waste?” is something to consider from a policy standpoint.
On the other hand, households with a higher number of members and those with less disposable income were shown to waste less food.
According to Dr. Jaenicke, “people in larger households have more meal-management options.” “There will be more people around, so leftover food will probably be eaten.”The researchers also discovered that homes with a primary grocery shopper who used a shopping list had lower food waste.