LAPSE:2023.35230
Published Article
LAPSE:2023.35230
Investigation of the Factors That Contribute to Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Losses in the Australian Fresh Food Supply Chain
Reham Abdullah Sanad Alsbu, Prasad Yarlagadda, Azharul Karim
April 28, 2023
Fruit and vegetables (FV) are the major source of bioactive compounds for human beings. FV supply chains are complex and sensitive due to various features, including the seasonality of products, variations in demand, and short shelf-lives. The amount of waste in FV supply chains is significant compared with other supply chains as 44% of fresh FV produced globally are wasted in the food chain. This large amount of waste has a significant impact on the economy, food security, available natural resources, and the environment. To reduce food losses in the fresh food supply chain (FFSC), the root causes of waste must be first identified. While a number of researchers have investigated food losses in Australia, most only consider a specific stage in the supply chain and multiple stages in the FFSC are often overlooked. Additionally, the impact of advanced storage technologies, packing, handling, and transport on food losses should be investigated. Furthermore, supply chain practices are changing in response to uncertainties, such as the pandemic and climate changes, which also need to be captured. This research aims to identify the key factors contributing to fresh fruit and vegetable losses through a comprehensive empirical study. Primary data were collected through a well-designed questionnaire-based survey targeting major stakeholders in the FFSC, including farmers, distributors, and retailers in Australia. The survey investigates current postharvest practices and the effects of these practices on food losses. The main factors influencing food losses were identified and the options to reduce these losses were outlined. The results showed that losses mostly occurred at the farm level, and picking practices and preharvest conditions largely contributed to FV losses. The results highlight the need for proper training and education for workers involved in harvesting and handling fresh produce.
Keywords
factors, food processing waste, food supply chain, fresh produce, loss minimisation, quality degradation
Suggested Citation
Sanad Alsbu RA, Yarlagadda P, Karim A. Investigation of the Factors That Contribute to Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Losses in the Australian Fresh Food Supply Chain. (2023). LAPSE:2023.35230
Author Affiliations
Sanad Alsbu RA: School of Mechanical, Medical and Process Engineering, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia
Yarlagadda P: School of Engineering, University of Southern Queensland, Springfield Central, QLD 4300, Australia [ORCID]
Karim A: School of Mechanical, Medical and Process Engineering, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD 4001, Australia [ORCID]
Journal Name
Processes
Volume
11
Issue
4
First Page
1154
Year
2023
Publication Date
2023-04-09
Published Version
ISSN
2227-9717
Version Comments
Original Submission
Other Meta
PII: pr11041154, Publication Type: Journal Article
Record Map
Published Article

LAPSE:2023.35230
This Record
External Link

doi:10.3390/pr11041154
Publisher Version
Download
Files
[Download 1v1.pdf] (2.3 MB)
Apr 28, 2023
Main Article
License
CC BY 4.0
Meta
Record Statistics
Record Views
85
Version History
[v1] (Original Submission)
Apr 28, 2023
 
Verified by curator on
Apr 28, 2023
This Version Number
v1
Citations
Most Recent
This Version
URL Here
https://psecommunity.org/LAPSE:2023.35230
 
Original Submitter
Auto Uploader for LAPSE
Links to Related Works
Directly Related to This Work
Publisher Version