Food Loss vs Food Waste: The Definitions That Decide Your Numbers

Two people can measure the same production line honestly and report figures that differ by a factor of three, because one counted peel and the other did not. This free lesson from ASC's online course Measuring Food Loss and Waste pins down the terms, using a real butternut line as the example. Full course: https://ascfoodsafetytraining.com/cou... Key points: 1. Food loss is edible material that left the intended product but stayed in the food supply chain. Food waste left the food supply chain entirely. 2. Associated inedible parts, such as peel and seed, count only if your declared scope includes them, so declare it. 3. "Process waste" is not a term in any of the standards. It is a bin, not a category, and a mixed bin cannot be split after the fact. 4. Food sent to animal feed is still food waste under the FLW Standard, even when it is also a by-product with a buyer. 5. Four questions, asked in order, classify any stream: was it ever food, is it an inedible part, did it stay in the food chain, did it leave it? Chapters: 0:00 Why two honest measurements disagree 0:22 The core four: food and inedible parts 0:55 Food loss and food waste 1:28 Process waste, by-products, rework and giveaway 2:11 The most common audit finding 2:39 Four questions that classify any stream 3:17 Worked example: bread crust to a piggery 3:56 What to remember Learn to measure, classify and report food loss and waste to the FLW Standard and FSSC 22000 in the full course: https://ascfoodsafetytraining.com/cou... ASC Food Safety Consultants, South Africa.