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<p>Food waste, as a persistent ecological and ethical problem, demands systemic solutions to transform discard into resource. This exploratory original research examines food waste generation in the primary (agricultural) and secondary (processing/manufacturing) sectors of the food chain and assesses current valorisation practices. Specifically, the objectives are: (1) to classify the generated food waste, (2) to analyse underlying causes, and (3) to identify existing valorisation pathways and their motivation. This article aims to classify types of food waste, investigate underlying causes, and identify existing valorisation pathways along with the motivations behind them. Data were gathered through a regional-scale questionnaire distributed to all companies in the food chain capable of producing food waste suitable for animal feed. Responses were systematically analysed using Root Cause Analysis to uncover causal patterns. This study contributes evidence-based insights into drivers and practices of food waste reuse. In a context where a knowledge gap has been identified in the literature review, findings reveal that reuse is practiced not for economic gain but primarily driven by ethical commitments and secondarily by reputational concerns, often without formal recognition.</p>

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KEY drivers of agri-food waste generation and corporate motivations for valorisation: a Spanish case

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年4月14日

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  • Laura Calzada-Infante,
  • Pilar L. González-Torre,
  • Eugenia Suárez-Serrano

摘要

Food waste, as a persistent ecological and ethical problem, demands systemic solutions to transform discard into resource. This exploratory original research examines food waste generation in the primary (agricultural) and secondary (processing/manufacturing) sectors of the food chain and assesses current valorisation practices. Specifically, the objectives are: (1) to classify the generated food waste, (2) to analyse underlying causes, and (3) to identify existing valorisation pathways and their motivation. This article aims to classify types of food waste, investigate underlying causes, and identify existing valorisation pathways along with the motivations behind them. Data were gathered through a regional-scale questionnaire distributed to all companies in the food chain capable of producing food waste suitable for animal feed. Responses were systematically analysed using Root Cause Analysis to uncover causal patterns. This study contributes evidence-based insights into drivers and practices of food waste reuse. In a context where a knowledge gap has been identified in the literature review, findings reveal that reuse is practiced not for economic gain but primarily driven by ethical commitments and secondarily by reputational concerns, often without formal recognition.