Food waste
Food waste is food discarded or lost across production, processing, distribution, retail, and consumption, including edible food and inedible parts.
Food supply chain: The linked activities that move food from agricultural production through processing, distribution, retail, and consumption. Losses arise at each stage, so supply-chain analysis locates where they occur.
Food rescue: The collection and redistribution of surplus food that would otherwise be discarded. Rescue keeps edible surplus available to people rather than sending it to disposal.
Methane emissions: Releases of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, from human activities and natural sources. Food decomposing in oxygen-poor landfills can generate methane.
Food loss: Food removed from the human food supply during production, postharvest handling, storage, or processing. Many frameworks reserve this term for earlier supply-chain stages and distinguish it from consumer waste.
Food loss and waste index: A United Nations measurement framework tracking food loss and food waste at different supply-chain stages. Its indicators show how national estimates depend on definitions, coverage, and data quality.
Cold chain: A temperature-controlled supply network that keeps perishable goods within specified conditions during storage and transport. Breaks in temperature control can shorten shelf life and spoil food before sale.
Food donation: The transfer of food, usually by businesses or individuals, to organizations or people who can use it. Donation is a common route for redirecting surplus food before it becomes waste.
Landfill: A site where waste is disposed of by burial or placement on land. Landfills are a major destination for discarded food in many waste systems.
Food surplus: Food available beyond immediate demand or intended use, which may still be suitable for consumption. Surplus is not necessarily waste if it is sold, donated, or consumed.
Food waste measurement: The methods used to quantify discarded food, including its weight, composition, stage, and destination. Different measurement boundaries can change estimates and apparent progress.