**Background:** Food waste is a critical global issue with profound implications for food security and environmental sustainability. According to UNICEF, approximately 21,000 people die daily from hunger-related causes, yet nearly one-third of all food produced globally is sent to landfills. An estimated 222 million tons of food are wasted annually in the developed world alone—almost equivalent to the entire net food production of Sub-Saharan Africa (230 million tonnes). The paper distinguishes between 'food loss' (occurring post-harvest in the supply chain before reaching consumers) and 'food waste' (discarding of edible items at retail or consumer levels), noting that food waste is primarily a concern in developed nations.
**Methods:** This is a narrative review synthesizing data from FAO reports, global case studies, and published literature on food waste generation, management strategies, and their implications for food security and sustainability. The review examines waste across the entire food supply chain (FSC)—from primary production through processing, distribution, retail, and household consumption—and evaluates current treatment methods including composting, anaerobic digestion, incineration, landfilling, and animal feeding.
**Key Results:** Global food waste estimates indicate 931 million tons of food waste in 2019, with 569 million tons (61%) from households, 244 million tons (26%) from food service, and 118 million tons (13%) from retail. Per capita food waste in Europe and North America ranges from 95–115 kg annually, compared to only 6–11 kg in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. In developing countries, over 40% of food losses occur at postharvest and processing stages, while in developed countries, 40% of losses occur at retail and consumer levels. The paper reports that 90% of food waste in developing countries is disposed of in landfills or open dumps, with composting used for only 1–6% and anaerobic digestion for 0.6%. The beverage industry sector shows the highest food waste estimation at approximately 6,000 MT relative to quantity produced, while fruit and vegetable production and preservation shows the highest waste percentage at 4.5%. During the COVID-19 pandemic, food consumption patterns shifted dramatically, with some countries reporting that 82.6% of food waste came from rice and pasta, 78.2% from eggs and dairy, and 68.87% from vegetables. The pandemic also caused job losses affecting over 3%, 20%, and 36% of farmers in Kenya, Uganda, and Burundi respectively, altering food consumption patterns.
**Clinical Implications:** While this is not a clinical study, the findings have significant public health implications. Food waste contributes to greenhouse gas emissions (with landfills generating methane and CO₂), water pollution from leachate runoff, and loss of valuable nutritional resources. The paper notes that antimicrobial use in food production—particularly tetracycline and streptomycin in plant production—raises concerns about antimicrobial resistance (AMR), with the EU having outlawed antimicrobials for growth promotion under Regulation (EU) 2019/4. Reducing food waste could improve food availability for the 1 in 9 people worldwide who go to bed hungry, reduce environmental degradation, and contribute to climate change mitigation. The review emphasizes that anaerobic digestion offers dual benefits of waste treatment and energy generation, while microbial fuel cells (MFCs) represent an emerging technology for converting volatile fatty acids into electrical energy. The authors call for integrating AI and machine learning for demand forecasting, intelligent labeling with sensors and time-temperature indicators (TTIs), and policy interventions such as Good Samaritan laws to facilitate food donations.