Pre-Consumer Versus Post-Consumer Food Waste at Truman State University

 

James T. Clemens
Dr. Michael Seipel, Faculty Mentor

On average, Truman State University produces over 140,000 pounds of food waste on a yearly basis (Goins, 2019). Although this waste is diverted from landfills to be turned into compost, the environmental, social, and financial costs of edible food waste cannot be ignored. The data in this study examine the effect of consumer education on the amount of consumer plate waste in three dining halls. Consumer plate waste data from one dining hall are compared to total food waste collected from this dining hall in an initial attempt to quantify the volumes of pre-consumer vs. post-consumer food waste. These data suggest further investigation of edible, pre-consumer food waste and methods to minimize this waste.

Keywords: Food Waste

Topic(s):Environmental Studies
Agricultural Science

Presentation Type: Oral Presentation

Session: TBA
Location: TBA
Time: TBA