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levels. 1, 3-5 The major causes of food waste in industrialized countrieshave been attributed to several factors, such as supply agreements account for bad weather, disease, and other factors that may reduceyield), high appearance quality standards that lead to rejection offood items not perfect in shape or appearance but still suitable forconsumption, and consumer behavior. 4,11 Some of the causes of foodwaste at the retail level include inadequate refrigerated storage andhandle food. Furthermore, the use of a “sell by” date on food labels,often used by the food industry to help retailers with stock rotationand to guarantee the consumer an acceptable level of freshness,also contributes to wastage of products that are still acceptable forconsumption. At the consumer level, waste can result from buyingmore food than is necessary for daily needs, exposure to temperatureabuse following purchase, and misinterpretation of dates on labelsIn regard to fresh fruits and vegetables, many factors contributeto substantial wastage throughout the supply chain. At the farmlevel, an entire crop production can be rejected or never harvestedbecause of disease, pests and weather, overproduction, low marketprice, or simply because the product does not meet the qualitystandards. During postharvest, waste can occur during sorting,handling, storage, and distribution. For example, poor temperaturemanagement often encountered during handling and distributionis one of the major causes of deterioration in the appearance andnutritional value of fresh fruits and vegetables at the retail level. 6,15-19It is estimated that poor postharvest temperature managementcauses 25 to 50% of fresh fruit and vegetable waste. 20-22 In addition,current refrigeration systems used in supermarkets to store or displayfresh produce often are set to desired temperatures, but the actualtemperatures inside the display may vary depending on the locationof the load and loading charge, which also leads to decreased qualityand, subsequently, waste. 23-25 Furthermore, because of poor handlingconditions through the supply chain, by the time consumers purchasefresh fruits and vegetables, half of their nutritional value may alreadybe lost, even though their appearance is still acceptable. 26 Finally,it is estimated that, at the consumer level, 1.2 million tons of freshfruits and vegetables are stored at ambient temperatures when theyshould be stored in the refrigerator 12 ; this mishandling by consumersleads to premature loss of quality and waste.Page 34 » Across the Divide » Nunes