Waste in the processed food sector has recently been brought to the fore as a critical factor as the world looks forward to the demands of a growing population and the threat of climate change. The fact that we only consume about a half of what we produce identifies an opportunity for saving and demands more attention. Waste is discussed in seven stages of a food value chain, with a focus on the differences between the losses in the developed and developing worlds. This reveals that first of all there is a growing blurring of the difference between the developed and developing world, as consumers grow richer and industrialization develops. This is less evident in sub-Saharan Africa than in, for example, the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, and China). In wealthier countries wastage tends to be concentrated in the consumption areas while in the poorer countries more wastage arises in the production end of the food chain. The paper argues that food processors and food scientists in sub-Saharan Africa have the advantage of being able to learn what has and is happening in the developed world environment and therefore being able to address issues efficiently that will benefit both the community and their businesses.

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Lee, P. and Willis, P. (2010) Waste Arisings in the Supply of Food and Drink to Households in the UK [website], <www.wrap.org.uk/downloads/RSC002-005_March_24_2010_FINAL_Amended_26_May_2010.c2ab6f33.8904.pdf≯ [accessed 28 May 2010]. www.wrap.org.uk/downloads/RSC002-005_March_24_2010_FINAL_Amended_26_May_2010.c2ab6f33.8904.pdf

Lundqvist, J., deFraiture, C. and Molden, D. (2008) Saving Water: From Field to Fork — Curbing Losses and Wastage in the Food Chain [website], Stockholm International Water Institute, <www.siwi.org/documents/Resources/Papers/Paper_13_Field_to_Fork.pdf≯ [accessed 25 November 2010]. www.siwi.org/documents/Resources/Papers/Paper_13_Field_to_Fork.pdf

McLaren, W. (2010) The Weight of 74 Golden Gate Bridges Wasted in Food Each Year. In USA Alone [website], Treehugger, <www.treehugger.com/files/2010/06/weight-of-74-golden-gate-bridgeswasted-in-food-each-year-in-usa.php?campaign=th_rss_food≯ [accessed 12 July 2010]. www.treehugger.com/files/2010/06/weight-of-74-golden-gate-bridgeswasted-in-food-each-year-in-usa.php?campaign=th_rss_food

Parfitt, J., Barthel, M. and MacNaughton, S. (2010) ‘Food waste within food supply chains: Quantification and potential for change to 2050’, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society (theme issue on Food Security: Feeding the World in 2050) 365.1554 [website], <http://rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/365/1554.toc≯ [accessed 15 December 2010]. http://rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/365/1554.toc

Roberts, L. (2010) ‘America's unhealthiest drink is a 2000 calorie milkshake’, The Telegraph [website], <www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/7766798/Americas-unhealthiestdrink-is-a-2000-calorie-milkshake.html≯ [accessed 28 May 2010]. www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/7766798/Americas-unhealthiestdrink-is-a-2000-calorie-milkshake.html

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Webber, M. and Cuéllar, A. (2010) ‘Wasted food, wasted energy: The embedded energy in food waste in the United States’, Environmental Science and Technology 44: 6464-69 [website], <http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1021/es100310d≯ [accessed 3 December 2010]. http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1021/es100310d

C-Tech Innovation Ltd (2004) ‘United Kingdom Food and Drink Processing Mass Balance’ Biffaward Programme on Sustainable Resource Use [website], <www.massbalance.org/downloads/projectfiles/2182-00335.pdf≯ [accessed 28 November 2010]. www.massbalance.org/downloads/projectfiles/2182-00335.pdf

Defra (2010) Food 2030 [website], <http://archive.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/food/pdf/food2030strategy.pdf [accessed 9 November 2011]. http://archive.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/food/pdf/food2030strategy.pdf

IUFoST (2010) Cape Town Declaration [website], <http://iufost.org/capetown-declaration≯ [accessed 26 November 2010]. http://iufost.org/capetown-declaration

Kader, A. (2005) Increasing Food Availability by Reducing Post Harvest Losses [website], <http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/files/datastore/234-528.pdf≯ [accessed 9 November 2011]. http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/files/datastore/234-528.pdf

Lee, P. and Willis, P. (2010) Waste Arisings in the Supply of Food and Drink to Households in the UK [website], <www.wrap.org.uk/downloads/RSC002-005_March_24_2010_FINAL_Amended_26_May_2010.c2ab6f33.8904.pdf≯ [accessed 28 May 2010]. www.wrap.org.uk/downloads/RSC002-005_March_24_2010_FINAL_Amended_26_May_2010.c2ab6f33.8904.pdf

Lundqvist, J., deFraiture, C. and Molden, D. (2008) Saving Water: From Field to Fork — Curbing Losses and Wastage in the Food Chain [website], Stockholm International Water Institute, <www.siwi.org/documents/Resources/Papers/Paper_13_Field_to_Fork.pdf≯ [accessed 25 November 2010]. www.siwi.org/documents/Resources/Papers/Paper_13_Field_to_Fork.pdf

McLaren, W. (2010) The Weight of 74 Golden Gate Bridges Wasted in Food Each Year. In USA Alone [website], Treehugger, <www.treehugger.com/files/2010/06/weight-of-74-golden-gate-bridgeswasted-in-food-each-year-in-usa.php?campaign=th_rss_food≯ [accessed 12 July 2010]. www.treehugger.com/files/2010/06/weight-of-74-golden-gate-bridgeswasted-in-food-each-year-in-usa.php?campaign=th_rss_food

Parfitt, J., Barthel, M. and MacNaughton, S. (2010) ‘Food waste within food supply chains: Quantification and potential for change to 2050’, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society (theme issue on Food Security: Feeding the World in 2050) 365.1554 [website], <http://rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/365/1554.toc≯ [accessed 15 December 2010]. http://rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/365/1554.toc

Roberts, L. (2010) ‘America's unhealthiest drink is a 2000 calorie milkshake’, The Telegraph [website], <www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/7766798/Americas-unhealthiestdrink-is-a-2000-calorie-milkshake.html≯ [accessed 28 May 2010]. www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/7766798/Americas-unhealthiestdrink-is-a-2000-calorie-milkshake.html

Rolando, R. (2010) ‘The future of SAAFoST in capable hands’, Food Review, 14 October 2010 [website] http://foodreview.imix.co.za/node/94848 [accessed 23 November 2010]. http://foodreview.imix.co.za/node/94848

Webber, M. and Cuéllar, A. (2010) ‘Wasted food, wasted energy: The embedded energy in food waste in the United States’, Environmental Science and Technology 44: 6464-69 [website], <http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1021/es100310d≯ [accessed 3 December 2010]. http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1021/es100310d

C-Tech Innovation Ltd (2004) ‘United Kingdom Food and Drink Processing Mass Balance’ Biffaward Programme on Sustainable Resource Use [website], <www.massbalance.org/downloads/projectfiles/2182-00335.pdf≯ [accessed 28 November 2010]. www.massbalance.org/downloads/projectfiles/2182-00335.pdf

Defra (2010) Food 2030 [website], <http://archive.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/food/pdf/food2030strategy.pdf [accessed 9 November 2011]. http://archive.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/food/pdf/food2030strategy.pdf

IUFoST (2010) Cape Town Declaration [website], <http://iufost.org/capetown-declaration≯ [accessed 26 November 2010]. http://iufost.org/capetown-declaration

Kader, A. (2005) Increasing Food Availability by Reducing Post Harvest Losses [website], <http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/files/datastore/234-528.pdf≯ [accessed 9 November 2011]. http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/files/datastore/234-528.pdf

Lee, P. and Willis, P. (2010) Waste Arisings in the Supply of Food and Drink to Households in the UK [website], <www.wrap.org.uk/downloads/RSC002-005_March_24_2010_FINAL_Amended_26_May_2010.c2ab6f33.8904.pdf≯ [accessed 28 May 2010]. www.wrap.org.uk/downloads/RSC002-005_March_24_2010_FINAL_Amended_26_May_2010.c2ab6f33.8904.pdf

Lundqvist, J., deFraiture, C. and Molden, D. (2008) Saving Water: From Field to Fork — Curbing Losses and Wastage in the Food Chain [website], Stockholm International Water Institute, <www.siwi.org/documents/Resources/Papers/Paper_13_Field_to_Fork.pdf≯ [accessed 25 November 2010]. www.siwi.org/documents/Resources/Papers/Paper_13_Field_to_Fork.pdf

McLaren, W. (2010) The Weight of 74 Golden Gate Bridges Wasted in Food Each Year. In USA Alone [website], Treehugger, <www.treehugger.com/files/2010/06/weight-of-74-golden-gate-bridgeswasted-in-food-each-year-in-usa.php?campaign=th_rss_food≯ [accessed 12 July 2010]. www.treehugger.com/files/2010/06/weight-of-74-golden-gate-bridgeswasted-in-food-each-year-in-usa.php?campaign=th_rss_food

Parfitt, J., Barthel, M. and MacNaughton, S. (2010) ‘Food waste within food supply chains: Quantification and potential for change to 2050’, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society (theme issue on Food Security: Feeding the World in 2050) 365.1554 [website], <http://rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/365/1554.toc≯ [accessed 15 December 2010]. http://rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/365/1554.toc

Roberts, L. (2010) ‘America's unhealthiest drink is a 2000 calorie milkshake’, The Telegraph [website], <www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/7766798/Americas-unhealthiestdrink-is-a-2000-calorie-milkshake.html≯ [accessed 28 May 2010]. www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/7766798/Americas-unhealthiestdrink-is-a-2000-calorie-milkshake.html

Rolando, R. (2010) ‘The future of SAAFoST in capable hands’, Food Review, 14 October 2010 [website] http://foodreview.imix.co.za/node/94848 [accessed 23 November 2010]. http://foodreview.imix.co.za/node/94848

Webber, M. and Cuéllar, A. (2010) ‘Wasted food, wasted energy: The embedded energy in food waste in the United States’, Environmental Science and Technology 44: 6464-69 [website], <http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1021/es100310d≯ [accessed 3 December 2010]. http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1021/es100310d

C-Tech Innovation Ltd (2004) ‘United Kingdom Food and Drink Processing Mass Balance’ Biffaward Programme on Sustainable Resource Use [website], <www.massbalance.org/downloads/projectfiles/2182-00335.pdf≯ [accessed 28 November 2010]. www.massbalance.org/downloads/projectfiles/2182-00335.pdf

Defra (2010) Food 2030 [website], <http://archive.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/food/pdf/food2030strategy.pdf [accessed 9 November 2011]. http://archive.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/food/pdf/food2030strategy.pdf

IUFoST (2010) Cape Town Declaration [website], <http://iufost.org/capetown-declaration≯ [accessed 26 November 2010]. http://iufost.org/capetown-declaration

Kader, A. (2005) Increasing Food Availability by Reducing Post Harvest Losses [website], <http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/files/datastore/234-528.pdf≯ [accessed 9 November 2011]. http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/files/datastore/234-528.pdf

Lee, P. and Willis, P. (2010) Waste Arisings in the Supply of Food and Drink to Households in the UK [website], <www.wrap.org.uk/downloads/RSC002-005_March_24_2010_FINAL_Amended_26_May_2010.c2ab6f33.8904.pdf≯ [accessed 28 May 2010]. www.wrap.org.uk/downloads/RSC002-005_March_24_2010_FINAL_Amended_26_May_2010.c2ab6f33.8904.pdf

Lundqvist, J., deFraiture, C. and Molden, D. (2008) Saving Water: From Field to Fork — Curbing Losses and Wastage in the Food Chain [website], Stockholm International Water Institute, <www.siwi.org/documents/Resources/Papers/Paper_13_Field_to_Fork.pdf≯ [accessed 25 November 2010]. www.siwi.org/documents/Resources/Papers/Paper_13_Field_to_Fork.pdf

McLaren, W. (2010) The Weight of 74 Golden Gate Bridges Wasted in Food Each Year. In USA Alone [website], Treehugger, <www.treehugger.com/files/2010/06/weight-of-74-golden-gate-bridgeswasted-in-food-each-year-in-usa.php?campaign=th_rss_food≯ [accessed 12 July 2010]. www.treehugger.com/files/2010/06/weight-of-74-golden-gate-bridgeswasted-in-food-each-year-in-usa.php?campaign=th_rss_food

Parfitt, J., Barthel, M. and MacNaughton, S. (2010) ‘Food waste within food supply chains: Quantification and potential for change to 2050’, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society (theme issue on Food Security: Feeding the World in 2050) 365.1554 [website], <http://rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/365/1554.toc≯ [accessed 15 December 2010]. http://rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/365/1554.toc

Roberts, L. (2010) ‘America's unhealthiest drink is a 2000 calorie milkshake’, The Telegraph [website], <www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/7766798/Americas-unhealthiestdrink-is-a-2000-calorie-milkshake.html≯ [accessed 28 May 2010]. www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/7766798/Americas-unhealthiestdrink-is-a-2000-calorie-milkshake.html

Rolando, R. (2010) ‘The future of SAAFoST in capable hands’, Food Review, 14 October 2010 [website] http://foodreview.imix.co.za/node/94848 [accessed 23 November 2010]. http://foodreview.imix.co.za/node/94848

Webber, M. and Cuéllar, A. (2010) ‘Wasted food, wasted energy: The embedded energy in food waste in the United States’, Environmental Science and Technology 44: 6464-69 [website], <http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1021/es100310d≯ [accessed 3 December 2010]. http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdfplus/10.1021/es100310d