Yeliz DEMİR

Food loss and waste occur at every stage of the food production chain. Food loss occurs during the production of agricultural products or raising animals, harvest / slaughter, storage, processing and distribution. Food waste, on the other hand, occurs at retail sales and consumption levels. It is seen that more food is wasted at homes in developed countries. Food waste has effects on the environment, economy and social life. The aim of the study is to evaluate individuals' perception of food waste in their homes and to determine the reasons for food waste. However, determining what the definition and scope of food waste is for individuals. The scale was organized as an internet survey and available data was obtained from 203 people on social media with convenience sampling method. According to the results of the analysis, it was determined that a significant portion of the participants perceived the amount of food waste at home as low. Despite this, cereals and breads (eg rice, pasta, cakes and pastries), fruit and vegetables were found to be among the food groups that were most wasted. In addition, it has been determined that the perception of the waste rate of food in the household varies according to demographic data. Among the reasons for waste of household foods are; the expiration date of the food is 30.1%, the awareness of the perishability of food products is 13.6%, the preparation is always to much 13.2%, the prepared the food incorrectly (burning, overcooking, too much salt, etc.) 12.7%, being worried about the health and safety of the family using the product was 7.7% and there is not enough information about the correct storage and / or preparation techniques was 7.4%.

Keywords: Food Loss, Food Waste, Household Food Waste, Perception, Causes of Waste.