Knowledge about food waste prevention and management practices: Perspectives from Restaurants in Novi Sad

Nikola Vuksanović; Kliment Naumov; Svetlana Jokić

doi:10.71159/icemit2522V

Authors

Nikola Vuksanović Toplica Academy of Applied Studies, Department of Agriculture and Food Technology Studies Prokuplje, Serbia
Kliment Naumov University of St. Kliment Ohridski, Bitola, Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality in Ohrid, N. Macedonia
Svetlana Jokić Kosovo and Metohija Academy of Applied Studies, Leposavić, Serbia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.71159/icemit2522V

Keywords:

food waste, restaurant, prevention and management practices, chefs, Novi Sad

Abstract

Food waste attracts attention from academics and practitioners globally as it challenges economic, social, moral, and environmental issues. In the context of Food Waste this paper provides the knowledge about food waste prevention and management practices from restaurants in Novi Sad. In addition, this paper applies the Food Waste Hierarchy Principles and contributes to addressing theoretical implications. Besides that, the research task was to apply the survey from previous researches which indicates that it is a useful tool for finding out how much management and head chefs knew about the Food Waste issue in their kitchens. The contribution of the research is also identified an equally important role of other components of practice theory i.e., corporate influence, and knowledge of Food Waste among chefs can be reinforced by the corporates.

References

Batat, W. (2020). Pillars of sustainable food experiences in the luxury gastronomy sector: A qualitative exploration of Michelin-starred chefs’ motivations. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 57, 102255. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2020.102255

Bharucha, J. (2018). Tackling the challenges of reducing and managing food waste in Mumbai restaurants. British Food Journal, 120(3), 639-649. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-06-2017-0324

Blešić, I., Petrović, M. D., Gajić, T., Tretiakova, T. N., Syromiatnikova, J. A., Radovanović, M., ... & Yakovenko, N. V. (2021). How the extended theory of planned behavior can be applied in the research of the influencing factors of food waste in restaurants: learning from Serbian urban centers. Sustainability, 13(16), 9236. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13169236

Camilleri, M. A. (2021). Sustainable production and consumption of food. Mise-en-place circular economy policies and waste management practices in tourism cities. Sustainability, 13(17), 9986. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13179986

Ocampo, J. C. C., Marshall, M., Wellton, L., & Jonsson, I. M. (2021). When sustainable cuisine imaginaries become unsustainable: Storage and preservation practices in Swedish restaurants. International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science, 24, 100353. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgfs.2021.100353

Charlebois, S., Creedy, A., & von Massow, M. (2015). “Back of house”–focused study on food waste in fine dining: the case of Delish restaurants. International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research, 9(3), 278-291. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCTHR-12-2014-0100

Chawla, G., Lugosi, P., & Hawkins, R. (2020). Evaluating materiality in food waste reduction interventions. Annals of Tourism Research Empirical Insights, 1(1), 100002. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.annale.2020.100002

Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2016). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches. Sage publications.

Dauti, M. B., Liçaj, B., Tase, M., & Krasniqi, M. (2024). Attitudes of Hotel Managers on Sustainable TourisThrough Green Practices: Case Study Countries of the Western Balkans. International Journal of Sustainable Development & Planning, 19(9).

Duursma, G., Vrenegoor, F., & Kobus, S. (2016). Food waste reduction at Restaurant De Pleats: Small steps for mankind. Research in Hospitality Management, 6(1), 95-100. https://doi.org/10.2989/RHM.2016.6.1.13.1301

European Commission. (2008). Directive 2008/98/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on waste (Waste Framework Directive). https://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/framework

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (2015). Food losses and waste in Latin America and the Caribbean. FAO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/292976407_Food_Losses_and_Waste_in_Latin_America_and_the_Caribbean

Filimonau, V., Chiang, C. C., Wang, L. E., Muhialdin, B. J., & Ermolaev, V. A. (2023). Resourcefulness of chefs and food waste prevention in fine dining restaurants. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 108, 103368. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2022.103368

Filimonau, V., & Delysia, A. (2019). Food waste management in hospitality operations: A critical review. Tourism management, 71, 234-245. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2018.10.009

Filimonau, V., Kadum, H., Mohammed, N. K., Algboory, H., Qasem, J. M., Ermolaev, V. A., & Muhialdin, B. J. (2022). Religiosity and food waste behavior at home and away. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 31(7), 797-818. https://doi.org/10.1080/19368623.2022.2080145

Filimonau, V., & Uddin, R. (2021a). Food waste management in chain-affiliated and independent consumers' places: A preliminary and exploratory study. Journal of Cleaner Production, 319, 128721. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.128721

Filimonau, V., Nghiem, V. N., & Wang, L. E. (2021b). Food waste management in ethnic food restaurants. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 92, 102731. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2020.102731

Filimonau, V., Zhang, H., & Wang, L. E. (2020). Food waste management in Shanghai full-service restaurants: A senior managers’ perspective. Journal of Cleaner Production, 258, 120975. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.120975

Jones, P., Ball, S., Lockwood, A., & Kirk, D. (2003). Hospitality Operations: a systems approach. Thomson Learning Emea.

Gajić, T., Vukolić, D., & Penić, M. (2024). Revival of the hotel industry: The impact of food waste reduction on Serbia’s economic prospects. Ekonomika poljoprivrede, 71(1), 75-98. https://doi.org/10.59267/ekoPolj240175G

Glišić, S., & Stamenković, P. (2025). Empirical analysis of tourists’ intentions regarding food waste in Serbian hotel industry. Hotel and Tourism Management, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.5937/menhottur2500004G

Goh, E., & Jie, F. (2019). To waste or not to waste: Exploring motivational factors of Generation Z hospitality employees towards food wastage in the hospitality industry. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 80, 126-135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2019.02.005

Hennchen, B. (2019). Knowing the kitchen: Applying practice theory to issues of food waste in the food service sector. Journal of Cleaner Production, 225, 675-683. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.03.293

Ivanović, N., Vučinić, A., Marinković, V., Krajnović, D., & Ćurčić, M. (2025). Towards Sustainable Food Waste Management in Serbia: A Review of Challenges, Gaps, and Future Perspectives. Sustainability, 17(7), 2961. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17072961

Kattiyapornpong, U., Ditta-Apichai, M., & Chuntamara, C. (2023). Sustainable food waste management practices: Perspectives from five-star hotels in Thailand. Sustainability, 15(13), 10213. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151310213

Kilibarda, N., Djokovic, F., & Suzic, R. (2019). Food waste management–reducing and managing food waste in hospitality. Scientific journal" Meat Technology", 60(2), 134-142. https://doi.org/10.18485/meattech.2019.60.2.8

Lazic, B., Batinic, B., Tot, B., & Vujic, G. (2022). Assessment of restaurants food waste towards circular economy in transition country cities. Environmental Engineering and Management Journal, 21(7), 1147-1156.

McAdams, B., von Massow, M., Gallant, M., & Hayhoe, M. A. (2019). A cross industry evaluation of food waste in restaurants. Journal of Foodservice Business Research, 22(5), 449-466. https://doi.org/10.1080/15378020.2019.1637220

Munir, K. (2022). Sustainable food waste management strategies by applying practice theory in hospitality and food services-a systematic literature review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 331, 129991. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.129991

Papargyropoulou, E., Lozano, R., Steinberger, J. K., Wright, N., & Bin Ujang, Z. (2017). The food waste hierarchy as a framework for the management of food surplus and food waste. Journal of cleaner production, 76, 106-115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2014.04.020

Papargyropoulou, E., Steinberger, J. K., Wright, N., Lozano, R., Padfield, R., & Ujang, Z. (2019). Patterns and causes of food waste in the hospitality and food service sector: Food waste prevention insights from Malaysia. Sustainability, 11(21), 6016. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11216016

Papargyropoulou, E., Wright, N., Lozano, R., Steinberger, J., Padfield, R., & Ujang, Z. (2016). Conceptual framework for the study of food waste generation and prevention in the hospitality sector. Waste management, 49, 326-336. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2016.01.017

Principato, L., Pratesi, C. A., & Secondi, L. (2018). Towards zero waste: An exploratory study on restaurant managers. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 74, 130-137. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2018.02.022

Rajić, M. N., Maksimović, R. M., & Milosavljević, P. (2022). Energy management model for sustainable development in hotels within WB6. Sustainability, 14(24), 16787. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142416787

Srijuntrapun, P., Sukwong, P., & Marshall, A. (2022). The role of food waste hierarchy as Thai hotels seek to fulfill their corporate social responsibility. Heliyon, 8(10). e11201 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e11201

Sustainable Restaurant Association. (2010). Too good to waste: Restaurant food waste survey report. Sustainable Restaurant Association.

Vizzoto, F., Tessitore, S., Iraldo, F., & Testa, F. (2020). Passively concerned: Horeca managers’ recognition of the importance of food waste hardly leads to the adoption of more strategies to reduce it. Waste Management, 107, 266-275. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2020.04.010

Vizzoto, F., Tessitore, S., Testa, F., & Iraldo, F. (2021a). Plate waste in foodservice outlets: Revealing customer profiles and their support for potentially contentious measures to reduce it in Italy. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 174, 105771. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2021.105771

Vizzoto, F., Testa, F., & Iraldo, F. (2021). Strategies to reduce food waste in the foodservices sector: A systematic review. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 95, 102933. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2021.102933

Vuksanović, N. D., Tešanović, D., Kalenjuk, B., & Portić, M. (2019). Gender, age and education differences in food consumption within a region: Case studies of Belgrade and Novi Sad (Serbia). Acta Geographica Slovenica, 59(2), 71-80. https://doi.org/10.3986/AGS.5160

Wang, L. E., Liu, G., Liu, X., Liu, Y., Gao, J., Zhou, B., ... & Cheng, S. (2017). The weight of unfinished plate: A survey based characterization of restaurant food waste in Chinese cities. Waste Management, 66, 3-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wasman.2017.04.007

The Waste and Resources Action Programme. (2017). Surplus food redistribution case studies. https://wrap.org.uk/content/surplus-food-redistribution-case-studies