HOOKED ON FOOD WASTE: CHARACTERIZING POST-PRODUCTION SEAFOOD LOSSES AND THEIR LIFE CYCLE IMPACTS ALONG VARIOUS SEAFOOD SUPPLY CHAINS

Abstract

Food waste is an increasingly important phenomenon in public and academic discourse. In my thesis, I set out to explore this topic by reviewing published literature examining the efficacy of food waste reduction in achieving positive social, economic, and environmental outcomes. In parallel, I also undertook my own analysis of the environmental implications of food waste and food waste reduction, conducting a life cycle assessment of exemplary seafood supply chains delivering product to retail setting in Toronto, Canada. Outcomes of both these research processes highlight the importance of developing food waste reduction strategies that 1) focus on high-impact products (i.e. beef), and 2) require low additional resource investment (i.e. addressing overconsumption and plate waste by reducing portion size). Notably, both the literature review and analysis of seafood supply chains indicate that data on food losses are limited in quality and quantity, suggesting that additional research is needed in this area.