scholarly journals Tackling Food Waste in All-Inclusive Resort Hotels in Egypt

Processes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (11) ◽  
pp. 2056
Author(s):  
Ahmed E. Abu Elnasr ◽  
Nadir Aliane ◽  
Mohamed F. Agina
Keyword(s):  
Food Waste ◽  
Eating Habits ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Ethical Problem ◽  
National Level ◽  
Food Service ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Key Drivers ◽  
Hotel Managers ◽  
Resort Hotels

Food waste remains a serious economic, environmental, and ethical problem, whether globally or at a national level. The hospitality industry is responsible for more than one-third of food waste. This study investigated the tackling of food waste in all-inclusive hotels from an employee perspective. It explored employees’ perceptions of the causes and driving factors behind food waste, and considered why food waste occurs, and how best to reduce waste to the minimum. A total of 47 semi-structured interviews were conducted with managers and chefs employed in all-inclusive hotels in Hurghada, Egypt. Critical insights that emerged from the findings include that guest behavior, background, and eating habits, along with the nature of the unlimited pre-paid services offered by all-inclusive programs, are the main drivers for food waste. Furthermore, the operation’s routine and the practices of all-inclusive hotels contribute to food waste, with a lack of technology employed to tackle food waste practices. In addition, inappropriate practices of all-inclusive hotel employees during the food service cycle contribute negatively to food waste. The low room rate package of all-inclusive hotels obliges hotel managers to purchase food raw materials of inadequate quality. Consequently, the final products are below guest expectations and increase the level of food waste. The findings also indicate that guest attitudes and preferences are perceived as key drivers of food waste. This research presents an examination of staff perspectives of the causes of food waste and how to effectively reduce it in the context of an all-inclusive resort. The results have theoretical implications and implications for practitioners.

scholarly journals Young children's food in Liverpool day-care settings: a qualitative study of pre-school nutrition policy and practice

2011 ◽  
Vol 14 (10) ◽  
pp. 1858-1866 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ffion Lloyd-Williams ◽  
Katie Bristow ◽  
Simon Capewell ◽  
Modi Mwatsama
Keyword(s):  
Healthy Eating ◽  
Eating Habits ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
National Level ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
School Nutrition ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Menu Planning

AbstractObjectiveTo explore nutrition and food provision in pre-school nurseries in order to develop interventions to promote healthy eating in early years settings, especially across deprived communities.DesignAn ethnographic approach was used combining participant observation with semi-structured interviews. Research participants were selected purposively using convenience sampling.SettingCommunity pre-school nurseries.SubjectsNursery managers (n 9), cooks (n 6), staff (n 12), parents (n 12) and children at six nurseries (four private and two attached to children's centres) in Liverpool, UK.ResultsPrivate nurseries had minimal access to information and guidelines. Most nurseries did not have a specific healthy eating policy but used menu planning to maintain a focus on healthy eating. No staff had training in healthy eating for children under the age of 5 years. However, enthusiasm and interest were widespread. The level and depth of communication between the nursery and parents was important. Meal times can be an important means of developing social skills and achieving Early Years Foundation Stage competencies.ConclusionsNurseries are genuinely interested in providing appropriate healthy food for under-5s but require support. This includes: improved mechanisms for effective communication between all government levels as well as with nurseries; and funded training for cooks and managers in menu planning, cost-effective food sourcing and food preparation. Interventions to support healthy eating habits in young children developed at the area level need to be counterbalanced by continued appropriate national-level public health initiatives to address socio-economic differences.

European experience in transition to circular economy

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 598-617 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.V. Ratner
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Circular Economy ◽  
Raw Materials ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
National Level ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Scientific Methods ◽  
European Experience ◽  
General Scientific ◽  
The Eu

Subject. The article considers the concept of circular economy, which has originated relatively recently in the academic literature, and is now increasingly recognized in many countries at the national level. In the European Union, the transition to circular economy is viewed as an opportunity to improve competitiveness of the European Union, protect businesses from resource shortages and fluctuating prices for raw materials and supplies, and a way to increase employment and innovation. Objectives. The aim of the study is to analyze the incentives developed by the European Commission for moving to circular economy, and to assess their effectiveness on the basis of statistical analysis. Methods. I employ general scientific methods of research. Results. The analysis of the EU Action Plan for the Circular Economy enabled to conclude that the results of the recent research in circular economy barriers, eco-innovation, technology and infrastructure were successfully integrated into the framework of this document. Understanding the root causes holding back the circular economy development and the balanced combination of economic and administrative incentives strengthened the Action Plan, and it contributed to the circular economy development in the EU. Conclusions. The measures to stimulate the development of the circular economy proposed in the European Action Plan can be viewed as a prototype for designing similar strategies in other countries, including Russia. Meanwhile, a more detailed analysis of barriers to the circular economy at the level of individual countries and regions is needed.

scholarly journals Eating Habits during the COVID-19 Lockdown in Italy: The Nutritional and Lifestyle Side Effects of the Pandemic

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 2279
Author(s):  
Federica Grant ◽  
Maria Luisa Scalvedi ◽  
Umberto Scognamiglio ◽  
Aida Turrini ◽  
Laura Rossi
Keyword(s):  
Food Waste ◽  
Eating Habits ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Waste Prevention ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Nutritional Recommendations ◽  
Food And Nutrition ◽  
Excessive Consumption

To limit the spread of coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, a nationwide lockdown started in Italy in March 2020. In this unpredictable situation, a cross-sectional study using an online questionnaire was carried out by the Observatory on Food Surplus, Recovery and Waste of CREA Food and Nutrition Centre. The aim of this work was to evaluate how Italian habits changed during this period, the determinants of changes, and the effect on food waste prevention. In a sample of 2678 respondents, 62% showed low Adherence to the Mediterranean Diet (AMD). During lockdown many of participants improved the quality of their diet, increasing their consumption of fruit (24.4%), vegetables (28.5%), legumes (22.1%), nuts (12%), and fish or shellfish (14%). Unfavorable changes were observed with the excessive consumption of sweets or pastries (36.9%) and comfort foods (22.7%), and a lack of physical activity (37.2%). The main novelty of this study was the examination of dietary changes identified by a cluster analysis. Respondents with generally high AMD improved their eating habits, while the habits of the respondents with generally low AMD remained unchanged. In addition, nearly 80% of respondents were sensitive to food waste. The study provides a useful contribution to the debate on nutritional recommendations in case of further lockdown.

scholarly journals Drivers and Determinants of Food Waste Generation in Restaurants Serving Mediterranean Mezze-Type Cuisine

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 6358
Author(s):  
Ali Chalak ◽  
Hussein F. Hassan ◽  
Pamela Aoun ◽  
Mohamad G. Abiad
Keyword(s):  
Food Waste ◽  
Hospitality Industry ◽  
Food Service ◽  
High Price ◽  
Waste Generation ◽  
Water Pipe ◽  
Convenience Sample ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Middle Range ◽  
Price Range

Food waste from the food service and hospitality industry is increasing, especially in Mezze serving restaurants, where a variety of dishes are usually served. To date, information on the factors affecting food waste generation in restaurants is scarce. This study aimed to identify the drivers and determinants of food waste generation while dining out at restaurants serving Mezze-type cuisine. According to the results from a convenience sample of 496 restaurant clientele, gender, age, and marital status did not affect food waste generation. Diners in both low and high price range restaurants waste above the grand mean compared to middle-range ones. Waste generation decreased significantly as the number of diners per table increased. However, ordering water-pipe, alcohol, or more dishes contributed significantly to food waste generation. As food waste is not the outcome of a single behavior, our study puts food waste generation drivers and determinants while dining out in perspective.

scholarly journals Impact of Hotel Guests’ Trends to Recycle Food Waste to Obtain Bioenergy

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 3094
Author(s):  
Wagih Salama ◽  
Essam Abdelsalam
Keyword(s):  
Food Waste ◽  
Alternative Energy ◽  
Waste Recycling ◽  
Environmental Preservation ◽  
Alternative Energy Sources ◽  
Effective Role ◽  
Food Waste Recycling ◽  
Intentions To Participate ◽  
Hotel Managers ◽  
The Impact

Hotels face many issues related to food waste management, which is considered a serious environmental and socioeconomic issue in the 21st century. The improper disposal of food waste causes greenhouse gases emissions, consequently badly affecting the environment. This research aims to measure the impact of customer trends in changing the pattern of food waste disposal and recycling into bioenergy relating to hotel purposes and contributing to reducing hotel energy costs in Egypt. Two survey questionnaires were designed for hotel managers and guests, with 25 and 300 forms, respectively. The results indicated that hotel managers are highly willing to recycle food waste to produce bioenergy and hence play an effective role in environmental preservation. Such alternative energy sources are less expensive than conventional ones. This study revealed guests’ intentions to participate in the process of preserving the surrounding environment, as well as their preferences to stay in hotels that are practicing food waste recycling operations. Limitations can be seen in the lack of advertising for such hotels as well the high cost of staying in green and ecological hotels.

scholarly journals Estimation of the Scale of Food Waste in Hotel Food Services—A Case Study

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 421
Author(s):  
Marzena Tomaszewska ◽  
Beata Bilska ◽  
Agnieszka Tul-Krzyszczuk ◽  
Danuta Kołożyn-Krajewska
Keyword(s):  
Food Waste ◽  
Hospitality Industry ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Food Service ◽  
Food Services ◽  
Plate Waste ◽  
Diary Method ◽  
Raising Awareness ◽  
Dining Room

The problem of food waste in food services, which is global and essentially affects the entire world, is a major challenge for the hospitality industry. At the same time, it should be noted that this problem has not been sufficiently studied, which makes it difficult to reduce it effectively. The study was carried out in four hotels in late 2019 and early 2020. In order to determine the scale of food waste, the diary method was used, which consists of systematically recording, for seven days, in forms prepared for workstations, the weight of all food products and unused food, including the stage of the technological process. In the hotels under study, most food was wasted in the serving department, i.e., in the buffet in the dining room or in the form of plate waste (on average 72.55% of wasted food). After taking into account the number of hotel guests served, it was found that in the investigated facilities, an average of 0.046 kg was wasted from each serving offered to guests in the form of plate waste, which constituted 5.8% of its weight. In sum, it should be stated that in order to reduce food waste, it is necessary to educate both food services staff and consumers. Employees should be trained in the proper handling of food. Consumer education, on the other hand, should be directed toward raising awareness of the negative impact of food waste, such as that on the natural environment. In addition, it should indicate what action everyone can take to limit this negative phenomenon, whether at home, in the workplace, or in a food service establishment.

scholarly journals Evaluating the integration of palliative care in national health systems: an indicator rating process with EAPC task force members to measure advanced palliative care development

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalia Arias-Casais ◽  
Eduardo Garralda ◽  
Miguel Antonio Sánchez-Cárdenas ◽  
John Y. Rhee ◽  
Carlos Centeno
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Palliative Care ◽  
Long Term Care ◽  
Task Force ◽  
National Level ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Term Care ◽  
Care Facilities ◽  
Rating Process

Abstract Background Palliative care (PC) development cannot only be assessed from a specialized provision perspective. Recently, PC integration into other health systems has been identified as a component of specialized development. Yet, there is a lack of indicators to assess PC integration for pediatrics, long-term care facilities, primary care, volunteering and cardiology. Aim To identify and design indicators capable of exploring national-level integration of PC into the areas mentioned above. Methods A process composed of a desk literature review, consultation and semi-structured interviews with EAPC task force members and a rating process was performed to create a list of indicators for the assessment of PC integration into pediatrics, long-term care facilities, primary care, cardiology, and volunteering. The new indicators were mapped onto the four domains of the WHO Public Health Strategy. Results The literature review identified experts with whom 11 semi-structured interviews were conducted. A total of 34 new indicators were identified for national-level monitoring of palliative care integration. Ten were for pediatrics, five for primary care, six for long-term care facilities, seven for volunteering, and six for cardiology. All indicators mapped onto the WHO domains of policy and education while only pediatrics had an indicator that mapped onto the domain of services. No indicators mapped onto the domain of use of medicines. Conclusion Meaningful contributions are being made in Europe towards the integration of PC into the explored fields. These efforts should be assessed in future regional mapping studies using indicators to deliver a more complete picture of PC development.

scholarly journals Family Meals, Conviviality and the Mediterranean Diet among Families with Adolescents

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (5) ◽  
pp. 2499
Author(s):  
Andrea de la Torre-Moral ◽  
Sergi Fàbregues ◽  
Anna Bach-Faig ◽  
Albert Fornieles-Deu ◽  
F. Xavier Medina ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Diet ◽  
Eating Habits ◽  
Family Meals ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Family Meal ◽  
Food Pattern ◽  
Mediterranean Countries ◽  
The Family ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Meal Composition

Two aspects that characterize the Mediterranean diet (MD) are “what” and “how” we eat. Conviviality relates to “how” we eat and to the pleasure of sharing meals with significant people. The most studied concept is “family meals”, which includes conviviality, which involves “enjoying” family meals. Given the lack of research on convivial family meals in Mediterranean countries, the purpose of this qualitative study was to analyze the family meal representations and practices of families with 12- to 16-year-old adolescents to assess whether they responded to a pattern of conviviality, and to examine their association with MD adherence. Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted and food frequency and family meal questionnaires were administered. A food pattern analysis was carried out and digital photos of meals were analyzed to examine eating habits and meal composition, respectively. The findings showed that parents believed family meals are a space for socialization and communication. Items relating to the conviviality of family meals identified in the study were meal frequency, meals at the table, lack of digital distractions, pleasant conversations, and time spent on family meals. Attention should be paid to conviviality in Mediterranean families when designing multi-approach strategies to promote healthy eating among adolescents.

Addressing food loss and waste prevention

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Burcu Kör ◽  
Adriana Krawczyk ◽  
Ingrid Wakkee
Keyword(s):  
The Netherlands ◽  
Food Waste ◽  
Household Consumption ◽  
Resource Scarcity ◽  
Advanced Technology ◽  
Waste Prevention ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Food Loss

PurposeFood waste is one of the most challenging issues humanity is currently facing. Therefore, there has been a growing interest in the prevention of food waste because of world hunger, environmental impacts, resource scarcity and economic costs. The purpose of the study is to investigate the factors that influence food waste and the role of technology in tackling food waste in India and the Netherlands.Design/methodology/approachIn order to explore differences in food loss and waste further this study will examine a number of practices on both the production and the consumer side, in a developing country and a developed country with different culture/economic backgrounds: India and the Netherlands. The factors that influence food waste were examined with a preliminary qualitative study, which consists of semi-structured interviews, and quantitative research that comprises a survey. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in both India and the Netherlands, which consists of five interviews. The survey data was collected from 78 individuals from India and 115 individuals from the Netherlands.FindingsOne of the main findings of the research is food waste is divided into waste within agricultural production (i.e. food loss) and final household consumption (i.e. food waste). Different factors influence food loss in different stages in the supply chain. Some of these factors include wastage during processing, storage, transportation and at the market-place. New technologies can utilize food loss for new purposes, so food loss is reduced to the minimum. Food waste is mainly influenced by food passing expiry date, food that is left too long in the fridge and consumers buying too much food. In final household consumption, technologies such as digital platforms enable individuals or organizations to share and donate their food, thereby creating awareness on food waste prevention and the environmental and ethical benefits.Originality/valueThe authors examine to what extent and in which ways supporting consumers to minimize food waste can be achieved via three stages: (1) understanding and evaluating food loss and waste, (2) identifying the factors that influence food loss and waste, (3) understanding consumer behaviors to encourage food waste reduction and (4) identifying the technological impact that would reduce food waste. As such, this paper contributes to ongoing debates about food waste by looking at the role of context and culture and by exploring differences between developed and developing countries. Also, the authors advance the debate by exploring both the role of advanced technology such as blockchain and drones in both preventing loss and waste as well as non-technological mechanisms.

How do public companies respond to national challenges through sustainability reporting? – The case of Sri Lanka

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Dinithi Dissanayake ◽  
Carol A. Tilt ◽  
Wei Qian
Keyword(s):  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Developing Country ◽  
National Level ◽  
National Development ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Integrative Social Contracts Theory ◽  
Reporting Practices

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how sustainability reporting is shaped by the global influences and particular national context where businesses operate. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses both content analysis of published sustainability information and semi-structured interviews with corporate managers to explore how sustainability reporting is used to address unique social and environmental challenges in a developing country – Sri Lanka. The use of integrative social contracts theory in investigating sustainability reporting offers novel insights into understanding the drivers for sustainability reporting practices in this particular country. Findings The findings reveal that managers’ perceptions about usefulness of sustainability reporting, local contextual challenges and global norms influence the extent to which companies engage in sustainability reporting and the nature of sustainability information reported. In particular, Sri Lankan company managers strive to undertake sustainability projects that are beneficial not only to their companies but also to the development of the country. However, while company managers in Sri Lanka are keen to undertake sustainability reporting, they face different tensions/expectations between global expectations and local contextual factors when undertaking sustainability projects and reporting. This is also showcased in what is ultimately reported in company annual reports, where some aspects of sustainability, e.g. social, tend to focus more on addressing local concerns whereas other disclosures are on issues that may be relevant across many contexts. Research limitations/implications Important insights for government and other regulatory authorities can be drawn from the findings of this study. By capitalising on the strong sense of moral duty felt by company managers, policymakers can involve the business sector more to mitigate the social and environmental issues prevalent in Sri Lanka. The findings can also be used by other developing countries to enable pathways to engage with the corporate sector to contribute to national development agendas through their sustainability initiatives and projects. Originality/value While the usual understanding of developing country’s company managers is that they try to follow global trends, in Sri Lanka, this research shows how managers are trying to align their responsibilities at a national level with global principles regarding sustainability reporting. Therefore, this paper highlights how both hypernorms and microsocial rules can interact to define how company managers undertake sustainability reporting in a developing country.

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