Life cycle sustainability assessment of a multi-technology action for food loss and waste prevention

Abstract Food waste persists as a global challenge, with upstream preventive technological innovations still insufficiently evaluated for their sustainability performance despite policy pressure and the Sustainable Development Goals. The objective of this article is to present a sustainability assessment, from a life-cycle perspective, of an innovative food waste prevention and reduction (FLWPR) action that integrates multiple technologies within the fresh potato supply chain. The intervention applies to a pilot phase technology that consists of advanced imaging and sensor-based detection system to identify internal defects in potatoes early in the supply chain. Potatoes identified as defective are redirected for valorization using commercially available technology into fifth-range products, animal feed, or starch. The multi-technological FLWPR action is assessed by applying a Sustainability Life Cycle Assessment using the EF 3.1 method for environmental impacts, a SHDB-based method for social impacts, and Life Cycle Costing for the economic dimension. Results demonstrate a substantial reduction in food loss and waste, a reduction in the impacts of the three pillars of sustainability and a successful implementation of circular economy practices. The contribution of this work lies in providing one of the first holistic life-cycle sustainability evaluations of an upstream preventive technological FLWPR action. It demonstrates how the impacts observed during a pilot phase of a technological intervention can be effectively complemented by already commercialized technologies, thereby generating significant system-wide benefits. Moreover, the work highlights pathways to reinforce circularity and enhance sustainability across food supply chains.