TOPLU BESLENME SİSTEMLERİNDE TABAK ATIĞININ GÜNLÜK VE MENÜ BİLEŞENLERİNE GÖRE DEĞİŞİMİ: KISA DÖNEMLİ BİR DEĞERLENDİRME
VARIATION OF PLATE WASTE BY DAY AND MENU COMPONENTS IN MASS CATERING SYSTEMS: A SHORT-TERM ASSESSMENT
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.51271/jashso.81Keywords:
Institutional foodservice, Food waste, Plate wasteAbstract
ABSTRACT
Aim: This study was conducted to evaluate the daily variation of plate waste generated in an institutional foodservice setting and its relationship with menu components. Materials and Methods: The research was carried out as a descriptive and cross-sectional study involving lunches served to personnel at Balıkesir University Health Practice and Research Hospital. Data collection was conducted. The amounts of food served and the plate waste generated after service were measured using the weighing method. The energy and nutrient contents of the menus were analyzed using the BEBIS 9.0 software program. Descriptive statistics and correlation analyses were used for data evaluation. Results: During the study period, food service was provided to a total of 1,445 personnel. Among the five-day observation period, the highest plate waste rate was observed for Bahçıvan Kebabı (31.98%), whereas the lowest rates were found for rice pilaf (4.95%) and ayran (4.36%). Among meal categories, the highest waste rate was identified in main dishes (20.30%), while side dishes showed a waste rate of 12.80%. Most of the total energy loss originated from main dishes, and meals rich in protein and fat were found to generate greater amounts of waste. Furthermore, significant positive correlations were identified between waste amount and energy (r=0.458), protein (r=0.511), and fat content (r=0.563) (p<0.05). Conclusion: In institutional foodservice systems, plate waste constitutes a significant problem not only in terms of quantity but also regarding nutrient losses. The higher waste generation observed in meals with high energy and protein content highlights the importance of menu planning and portion control. Organizing menus by considering consumer acceptance, portion standardization, and nutrient composition may contribute to reducing food waste.
Keywords: Institutional Foodservice, Food Waste, Plate Waste.
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