Fruits and vegetables at the supply center of Bahia, Brazil: why not just supply, but also loss?

• Published in: Semina. Ciências agrárias : revista cultural e científica da Universidade Estadual de Londrina Vol. 45; no. 5
• Main Authors: Márcio Vasconcelos Luckesi, Adriana Lúcia da Costa Souza, Denise Nunes Viola, Pedro Paulo Lordelo Guimarães Tavares, Sandra Cristina Carvalho Oliveira, Ryzia de Cassia Vieira Cardoso
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade Estadual de Londrina 01.08.2024
• Subjects: Food and nutrition security; Food systems; Postharvest loss; Supply; Sustainability
• ISSN: 1676-546X; 1679-0359
• DOI: 10.5433/1679-0359.2024v45n5p1391

Food loss is a global challenge with significant economic, environmental, and social implications. In Brazil, it is estimated that fruit and vegetable losses range between 30% and 35% from production to the final consumer. This study analyzed the extent of fruit and vegetable loss and its determinants at the Supply Center of the State of Bahia (CEASA-Bahia), Brazil, taking into account the diversity of sales establishments. A cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach was conducted using questionnaires administered to sellers at the Salvador Supply Center in Bahia, Brazil. The sample consisted of 132 sellers, representing three categories: stalls, stones, and boxes. Over 85% of the sellers had not received any training in food handling. Precarious facilities and insufficient conservation technologies were observed, with only 12.9% of sellers having refrigeration facilities. Although 56.1% of the sellers denied experiencing losses, a weekly loss of 26.30 t of vegetables and 127.4 t of fruit was estimated, representing 2.26% of the acquired amount. In absolute values, this corresponds to over 150 t of wasted food. There was no policy in place at the Center to prevent or reduce food loss, with only timid initiatives such as donations (28.8%) and discounts (6.8%). The findings highlight the potential for implementing programs aimed at preventing food losses.