food-waste-reduction
Food waste reduction encompasses strategies and technologies aimed at minimizing the loss of edible plant-based products across the supply chain, from harvest through consumption. In plant science, this field drives research into post-harvest biology, including the molecular mechanisms behind ripening, senescence, and decay, with the goal of extending shelf life and preserving nutritional quality. Understanding and manipulating these biological processes offers pathways to reduce the staggering global losses of plant-derived foods, with direct implications for food security and sustainable agriculture.
PubMed · 2026-04-01
This review examines how five key Mediterranean foods — fruits and vegetables, seafood, dairy, bread, and meat — spoil, and how innovative, sustainable packaging can reduce food waste while preserving the region's renowned food traditions.
Five food categories (fruit and vegetables, seafood, dairy, bread, and meat) were selected as representative Mediterranean case studies due to their diversity of spoilage mechanisms and storage needs.
The Mediterranean agri-food sector faces compounding pressures including climate change, pollution, evolving lifestyles, and resource scarcity that threaten traditional food systems.
The review advocates for interdisciplinary collaboration linking sustainable packaging innovation, microbial resource valorisation, and targeted spoilage management to reduce food waste and support a circular economy.
