Food Loss and Waste

Caution: The FAO estimate is based on weight. When considering weight, a ton of grain is the same as a ton of fruit, which is the same as a ton of meat. However, food types vary widely in their water and caloric content per kilogram. For instance, a kilogram of wheat flour on average contains 12% water and 3,643 kcal, whereas a kilogram of apples on average contains 81% water and 1,704 kcal. Consequently, measuring by weight does not consistently reflect the energy in food products that could have been consumed by people. Using the FAO Food Balance Sheets, WRI converted FAO’s loss and waste estimates into calories.