Determination of the amount and cost of food losses in a private school cafeteria

Merve ELHATUSARU, Determination of the Amount and Cost of Food Losses in a Private School Cafeteria, Hasan Kalyoncu University Institute of Health Sciences Nutrition and Dietetics MSc Thesis, Gaziantep, 2018.The overall health of children mainly depends, upon food intake that provides sufficient energy and nutrients to support optimal growth and development. In Turkey, few students receive daily school lunch meals.School lunch programmes should be a necessity for preventing nutritional problems, such as obesity andimproving nutrition Up to two fifths of daily energy and nutrient intakes of children could be complied by school meals. In school lunch programmes food waste studies have been used to assess nutrient intake, dietary quality, menu performance, food acceptability, cost, and effectiveness of school lunch programmes and nutrition education in schools. The aim of this descriptive study is to determine the plate food waste and its cost, for children between the ages 6-13 years having lunch served in a private school in Gaziantep, Turkey, for 4 week cycle menu. A total of 300 students (boys:165, 55%: girls: 135, 45%) 120 and 180 students aged 6-9 and 10-13 years, indirectly participated in the study. Plate waste was estimated from 300 lunch trays, examining 6000 trays of dishes and foods. After students finished eating, the wasted dishes and foods were collected in different cups and weighed, wastes were converted into portion amounts and costs were calculated. Energy and nutrients content ofdishes and foods were calculated and compared with Turkey dietary reference values (DRV) calculated for a proportion of lunch. Average energy intakes of 6-9 years and 10-13 years of students were 786 and 979 kcal, complying 119% and 124% of DRV for lunch. Percentage of energy from carbohydrates, protein and fats were 37,1%, 15,6% and 47,3% for 6-9 years and 42,9%, 14,9 % ve 42,3% for 10-13 years. Except vitamins D, B12 and calcium all nutrient intakes were above DRV for lunch. Dairy products, vegetable and fruit intakes were below the recommendations. Among 6-9 years and 10-13 years students plate food wastages were 23% and 21,8% for legumes, 19,4% and 33,3% for vegetable dishes, 18,2% and 20,9% for red meat dishes, 0% and 0% for fruits, 3% and 5,6% for yogurt and ayran (diluted yogurt), 19,1% and 13,2% for desserts, respectively. Total cost of school lunch was 12862 TL/month and total cost of plate food waste was 1926 TL/month. Percentage of food waste cost was found found as 15% of total cost. For the prevention of plate food wastein school lunch a well-planned menu planning depending on the energy and nutrient requirements of children, promoting healthy nutrition should be maintained.