Food waste management in Lebanese hospital food services: Findings from a first-of-its-kind cross-sectional study in the Arab region

Background: Assessing food waste management in hospitals is crucial for establishing a baseline model of the impact of waste reduction strategies and monitoring progress. Limited data exists on measuring and managing food waste in hospitals, emphasizing the need for comprehensive assessment in the country. Aims: This study sought to assess the food waste management protocols in different types of food services at Lebanese hospitals. Methods: This observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study sampled 32 dietitians in Lebanese Hospitals using a convenience sampling technique, who were interviewed to complete a questionnaire. Frequencies and percentages were obtained through simple statistics. Results: Study findings showed that, in Lebanese hospitals, 81.3% of food waste was obtained from patient's tray, 66.7% from expired prepackaged food, 58.1% from hospital cafeterias, and 48.4% from expired-unconsumed cafeteria food. The aforementioned food waste obtained is mixed with general waste. None incorporates composting or anaerobic digestion due to financial issues, but 18 hospitals are open to considering these methods. About 85% of hospitals adopt different approaches for managing food waste from isolated patients. Only 18.8% had external contractors for waste management, among which 9.4% mentioned food waste management in the contract. Conclusion: Lebanese hospitals rely on garbage disposal as a food waste management technique, lacking effective strategies, such as composting or anaerobic digestion. This underscores the urgent need for comprehensive and improved food waste management measures in the country. This study is a wake-up call for policymakers to adopt a robust approach in formulating hospital food waste management policies.