Miljö- och klimatfrågor är bland de största frågor vi står inför idag. Dessa frågor behandlar bland annat matproduktion och matsvinn. Enligt Naturvårdsverket står livsmedelshantering för 20 – 25% avden totala klimatpåverkan i Sverige. 75% av detta är matavfallinnehållande en stor del onödigt matsvinn från de privata hushållen. Som individer har vi därför en stor möjlighet till att påverka detta. Denna studie behandlar en kvalitativ undersökning av en lågteknologisk knapps möjligheter till att skapa ett beteende att inventera sitt kylskåp för att reducera det privata matsvinnet. Undersökningen innefattar utformning, design och framställning av en lågteknologisk knapp samt dess användarupplevelse och funktion i praktiken. Knappen är utformad med hjälp av en analys inom beteendeförändringsramverket Behavioural Change Wheel. Knappen testades på 10 studenter under tre veckors tid för att sedan utvärdera knappens påverkan. Användandet utvärderades genom att undersöka knappens möjligheter till en beteendeförändringkring inventering av kylskåp. Knappen tilldelades och kopplades samman med en rad funktioner för att underlätta och skapa ett beteende till att inventera: En lampa som lös två gånger per vecka, en text på knappen som löd “time to save the world.”, tillhandahållande av bakgrundsinformation gällande klimatfrågan, instruktioner gällande hur en inventering skulle utföras samt den fysiska närvaron av knappen. Resultatet pekar mot att en förändring i beteende skett underundersökningsperioden men resultaten från enkätsvaren är inte tillräckliga för att med statistisk signifikans bekräfta om knappen med funktioner skapat ett beteende. Knappens olika funktioner graderades av deltagarna i utvärderingen och utifrån dessa svar visade det sig att lampans påminnelsefunktion samt knappens fysiska närvaro hade störst påverkan till att en inventering utfördes. / Climate change and the environmental situation is two of the biggest challenges we face both locally and globally. Food production and food swill is a big part of these challenges. 20-25% of the total climate footprint in Sweden is caused by food production and handling according to Naturvårdsverket. 75% of this is food swill that contains a lot of unnecessary food waste produced in the private household. This gives individuals and households a great opportunity to reduce these numbers and affect the total climate footprint. This is a qualitative study investigating and evaluating the possibility of a low-tech buttons effect on individuals behaviour on keeping stock of the content in their refrigerator and possibly reducing their food waste. The study describes the process of creating and designing a low-tech button and an evaluation of the participants thoughts and experience with the button. The button is designed with an analysis of the behaviour change framework Behavioural Change Wheel as well as implementation of different behaviour change techniques to optimize the behaviour change and create a habit of keeping stock of the content of the refrigerator. Ten students used the button for three weeks before evaluating its effect on their behaviour and analysing if they perceived a reduction of their food waste. Five functions where assigned to the button; A LED that shone twice a week, a text engraved on the button that read “time to save the world.”, they were assigned background information regarding the environment and food waste, instructions on how to perform a stock-check and the physical presence of the button itself. The results of the study indicates a change in the participants behaviour during the time of using the button, but the results was not sufficient enough to confirm a change with statistical significance. All the functionalities was graded by the participants of the study and it shows that the reminder from the LED as well as the physical presence of the button was the two functions with the most impact on why the stock keeping was performed.

<p dir="ltr">Macambo (<i>Theobroma bicolor</i>) is a relative of cacao that was identified as an underutilized crop in San Martín, Peru with potential for valorization. Current processing for macambo seeds results in waste of two-thirds of the fruit, so the two waste streams (husk and pulp-shell) were characterized by proximal analysis to identify useable components. From the pulp-shell waste, soluble polysaccharides and proteins were extracted. The resulting hydrocolloid formed physical gels that had predominantly solid-like elastic behavior and can partially recover after being deformed by a constant stress. Macambo pulp-shell waste has potential for extracting functional ingredients for thickening, forming gels, retaining water, and stabilizing emulsions.</p><p dir="ltr">One third of food in the United States is never eaten, and waste occurs throughout the food system. Produce is a significant portion of food waste, but shelf life can be extended by optimizing postharvest practices. Conducting precooling in-field at point of harvest with mobile units was proposed by researchers in the field of food waste reduction as an adaptable method to reduce food waste and was evaluated in this study for innovation and barriers to use. Based on expert interviews and a literature review, it was concluded that in-field precooling units are hindered by infrastructure requirements and effective precooling is already optimized at large scale with centralized cooling activities. Flexible cooling technology could be part of a solution for very small growers in the United States and internationally in developing economies, where access to precooling and full cold chain is still lacking.</p>

The first part of the report reads up on food waste and makes account for how to reduce food waste in households by documenting it. The goal of this project is to examine how a measure of method consisting of voice commands is working as compared to a classic method of measurement with paper and pen. Food waste is a big issue and to decrease food waste, it is important to document this waste in several ways. Since food waste can include different kinds of food depending on how it’s phrased, the concept of food waste is described as both food that could have been eaten but also food that could not be eaten. In studies of food waste, taking notes is a common method of measurement – but it has couple of flaws. In example subjects often forget to take notes when this is required. In this study we are investigating how voice control could be a new alternative to log food waste. The problem statement is based on whether households find easier to log something with the help of voice commands rather than writing it down with paper and pen. We have built a system that will be tested on five subjects. The subjects of the study will use voice commands with a Google Home Mini. In this study they will use voice commands while documenting food waste in each subject’s household, this will be going on in single households. To analyse the data there will be a trashcan prototype created which counts each time something is thrown in the bin. With the help of the counter there will be a possibility to examine if more food waste is thrown than being logged. Furthermore, every interaction with the voice control that is related to food waste will be saved in a spreadsheet. In the method section, an analysis of how the five subjects will be tested is done. The first week the subjects will log food waste by voice commands and will only be using the prototype that was created as the designated food waste bin. The second week, subjects will log on to paper and pen instead. Finally, the prototypes are collected to analyse the data on the microcontroller as well as the logged data collected in a spreadsheet. Qualitative data is gathered through a survey. The result indicated that the majority preferred voice control as a measurement method once it worked, deficiencies such as communication problems were a major reason why this method was not the most optimal. One subject preferred the measurement method with paper and pen over voice control. Several test subjects thought it was difficult to keep track of paper and pencil but appreciated that it was a safe method of measurement in which they could see what was on the paper. This study is of interest to systems where voice control is used in, for example smart homes but also a contribution to the development of measurement methods. One conclusion in the study is that voice control is a possible measurement method but that more studies are needed in the subject. / Matsvinn är ett stort problem och för att minska matsvinn är det viktigt att öka medvetenhet och kunskap om vad som slängs och varför. Eftersom matsvinn kan omfatta olika typer av livsmedel definieras begreppen matsvinn som mat som hade kunnat ätas och matavfall definieras som matsvinn samt oundvikligt matavfall. Vid forskning om matsvinn är anteckningar en vanlig datainsamlingsmetod, men den lider av brister där exempelvis testpersoner glömmer bort att anteckna. I denna studie undersöker vi möjligheterna att använda röststyrning som ett nytt alternativ till att logga matsvinn. Problemformuleringen grundar sig i att undersöka om hushåll anser att det är enklare att logga något med hjälp av röstkommandon jämfört med att skriva ned det med papper och penna. Vi har byggt ett system som testas på fem testpersoner. För att använda sig av röststyrning blev testpersonerna i studien tilldelade varsin Google Home Mini. I denna studie appliceras denna mätmetod på att mäta matsvinn i singelhushåll. För att analysera datan byggde varsin kompostpåsehållare som räknar varje gång svinn slängs i papperskorgen. Genom räknaren kan det undersökas om det slängs mer än det antecknas. Dessutom loggas allt testpersonerna säger till röstassistenten som har med matsvinn att göra. Första veckan under undersökningen loggades deltagarna allt de slängde med röstkommandon samt använder sig enbart av den givna prototypen för att slänga matsvinn. Andra veckan loggade deltagarna istället på papper och penna. Slutligen samlades prototyperna för att analysera datan på mikrokontrollern samt den loggade datan som samlades i ett kalkylark. Kvalitativ data samlades genom en enkät. Resultatet tyder på att majoriteten föredrog röststyrning som mätmetod när det väl fungerade, brister som kommunikationsproblem med röstassistenten var en stor anledning till varför denna metod inte var den mest optimala. En testperson föredrog mätmetoden med papper och penna framför röststyrning. Flera testpersoner tyckte att det var jobbigt att ha koll på papper och penna men uppskattade att det var en säker mätmetod då de kunde se vad som stod på pappret. Studien är av intresse för system där röststyrning används i exempelvis smarta hem men även ett bidrag till utveckling av mätmetoder. En slutsats i studien är att röststyrning är en möjlig mätmetod men att fler studier behövs göras i ämnet.

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Ettsyfte med denna uppsats är jämförelsen mellan två behandlingsalternativ för matavfall, hemkompostering eller biogasproducering sett från klimatperspektivet. Koldioxidekvivalenter har beräknats för de två alternativen. Ett annat syfte har varit att studera den politiska processen för att förstå varför det först under 90-talet uppmuntras till att hushållen ska hemkompostera för att sen under början av 2000-talet förespråka rötning av matavfallet. Mina uträkningar och jämförelser visar att det är mer fördelaktigt för klimatet att röta matavfallet, koldioxidutsläppet blir mindre än vid hemkompostering. Mitt andra syfte visar att det kan finnas en klimatvinst genom att låta politiken fatta besluten men det kan även finnas en risk att det egentliga syftet med hemkompostering glöms bort och att hushållen måste betala för något som de egentligen inte behöver (matkärl) eller som inte kanske finns (tillsynen). / One purpose of this study is to compare two treatment options for food waste. Home composting or biofuel production, seen from the climate perspective. The carbon dioxide equivalent has been calculated for the two options. The second purpose was to study the political process with regard to food waste to understand why Swedish households were encouraged to home compost food waste during the nineties only to early twenties advocate biofuel production. My calculations and comparisons shows that it is more beneficial for the climate to digest the food waste then composting since the carbon dioxide emissions is less. My second analysis indicates that while the political reorientation has led to environmental improvements, the effect has also been that to gain control of the food waste stream, waste management organisations effectively provide customers with no choice and economically punish households that have no food waste to collect since they have effective home composting.

Biogas is of growing interest in Sweden, and a public inquiry suggested the government to set a goal of producing 10 TWh biogas in 2030 although only 2 TWh biogas was produced in Sweden in 2018 (Regeringskansliet, 2019) (Klackenberg, 2019). To achieve this optimistic goal and to meet the increased demand of biogas, new biogas production facilities needs to be built. The purpose of this report is to investigate the economic feasibility for the development of a biogas recovery process adjoined to an incineration facility in Sweden. The report first gives an overview of the largest incineration facilities in Sweden. The largest quantity of food waste was estimated in Gothenburg to be 56´744 WRQ SeU \eaU. For the economic feasibility, a conceptual facility was constructed with 169´000 ton residual waste per year of which 45´000 ton was food waste. A biogas process model was built in Excel where the biogas potential was calculated using characteristics for food waste. The annual production of liquid biogas was estimated to 43´970 MWK. The economic evaluation was based on the conceptual facility. In the baseline scenario the incomes for the process was the value of liquid biogas, 25,6 MSEK per year, a Gate-fee synergy of 5 MSEK per year and a Tax deduction synergy of 1 MSEK per year. The investment cost was estimated to 211,6 MSEK and the Operation &amp; Maintenance cost was estimated to 6,3 MSEK per year. This resulted in an NPV of 69,5 MSEK and an IRR of 10,3% for the project, indicating a profitable investment. Three different scenarios were considered, apart from the baseline scenario, where the first excluded all synergies with the incineration facility, which generated an NPV of 2,3 MSEK. The second scenario only considered the minimal gate-fee synergy which gave an NPV of 37,8 MSEK. Finally, the third scenario where all synergies were included, and an additional investment grant was introduced gave the project an NPV of 111,8 MSEK. A sensitivity analysis was also conducted which showed that the input of food waste treated, weighted average cost of capital and potential grants had the biggest impact on the financial results. None of the results from the sensitivity analysis showed a negative NPV. / Intresset för biogas växer i Sverige och i en statlig utredning föreslogs regeringen att sätta upp ett mål att producera 10 TWh biogas 2030 (Regeringskansliet, 2019). Detta kan jämföras med 2018 då endast 2 TWh producerades (Klackenberg, 2019). För att uppnå detta optimistiska mål och för att möta den ökade efterfrågan på biogas behöver nya produktionsanläggningar byggas. Syftet med denna rapport är att undersöka de ekonomiska möjligheterna för utvecklingen av en biogasanläggning angränsad till en förbränningsanläggning i Sverige. Rapporten ger först en översikt över de största förbränningsanläggningarna som behandlar hushållsavfall i Sverige. Det uppskattades att den största mängden matavfall som går till förbränning i Sverige är i Göteborg där 56´744 ton matavfall förbränns per år. För att bestämma de ekonomiska förutsättningarna konstruerades en konceptuell anläggning som behandlar 169´000 ton restavfall per år varav 45 000 ton består av matavfall. En biogasprocess modellerades i Excel där den potentiella biogasen beräknades baserat på matavfallets karaktäristik. Slutligen uppskattades den årliga produktionen av flytande biogas till 43´970 MWh. Den ekonomiska utvärderingen baserades på den konceptuella anläggningen. I grund-scenariot bestod inkomsterna för av den flytande biogasen som motsvarade 25,6 MSEK per år, en ´gatefee´-synergi på 5 MSEK per år och en ´skatteavdrags´-synergi motsvarande 1 MSEK per år. Investeringskostnaden uppskattades till 211,6 MSEK och Operation &amp; Maintenancekostnaderna uppskattades till 6,3 MSEK. Detta gav projektet ett nettonuvärde på 69,5 MSEK och en internränta på 10,3% vilket indikerar en lönsam investering. Vidare undersöktes även tre olika scenarier, utöver grund-scenariot, där det första utesluter alla synergier vilket gav ett nettonuvärde på 2,3 MSEK. Det andra scenariot beaktade endast den minimala ´gate-fee´-synergin vilket gav ett nettonuvärde på 37,8 MSEK. Det tredje scenariot inkluderade alla synergier samt ett investeringsbidrag vilket resulterade i ett nettonuvärde på 111,8 MSEK. En känslighetsanalys genomfördes också som visade att tillförseln av behandlat matavfall, kapitalkostnaden och potentiella investeringsbidrag hade den största påverkan på de finansiella resultaten. Inget av resultaten från känslighetsanalysen visade ett negativt nettonuvärde.

Today’s world is characterised by considerable inconsistency. In some parts of the world people are living in starvation and malnutrition, while in some other parts of the same world, about 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted every year. We do not know enough about what contributes to food waste. However, there seems to be an emergent pattern of behaviour around sharing food. This hermeneutic phenomenological research will explore how food sharing might reduce food waste in a cultural and community-based society like Saudi Arabia through the lived experiences of restaurants and food bank employees. Research data were collected through a face-to-face semi-structured interview method from 15 participants from selected restaurants and food bank in Riyadh. Using the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) as the theoretical lens, a conceptual framework was proposed to elicit underlying behavioural and cultural factors impeding food waste reduction and the inefficiency of food sharing. Using Paul Colaizzi’s approach, the collected interview data were reviewed, analysed, and seventeen themes were elicited for further discussion. The findings suggest that culture through an affluent way of life and the show-off lifestyle of hosts continue to contribute to more food wastage. The strictly business nature of restaurants operation leads to edible food fit for human consumption ending up in the garbage. The revised conceptual framework provides insight into the factors hindering food waste reduction and food sharing. With supporting regulations and policies, food leftovers can either be distributed to people in need or put to an alternative use.

This thesis explores consumer perceptions of aesthetically imperfect, or 'ugly,' foods and investigates the willingness to purchase and consume these products as a strategy to reduce food waste. The study delves into cognitive biases that lead to the rejection of nutritionally sound yet visually unappealing foods, significantly contributing to food wastage. Through a comprehensive food perception survey, this research examines the impact of visual appeal, expected taste, price, and bundling strategies on consumer choices, particularly focusing on the enhancement of the attractiveness of 'ugly' foods when paired with aesthetically pleasing ones.Key findings highlight that while consumer biases heavily influence the initial reaction of 'ugly' foods based on appearance, innovative marketing strategies like bundling can shift perceptions and increase consumer willingness to purchase. Crucially, the thesis identifies post-purchase ownership perception as a significant factor in influencing future consumer behavior. Ownership of 'ugly' foods, even in a hypothetical sense, positively affects consumers’ perceptions and behaviors, increasing their likelihood to repurchase and recommend these products, thus indicating a sustainable shift in consumption patterns. This research provides actionable insights for stakeholders in the food industry to mitigate consumer biases against 'ugly' foods, thereby enhancing sustainability and ethical consumption practices. The broader implications of these findings suggest that addressing post-purchase perceptions can effectively contribute to reducing global food wastage and fostering more environmentally responsible food consumption.

In the United States (U.S.), up to 40% of the entire food supply is lost or wasted, which contributes to negative environmental, economic, and social outcomes, with the majority of food waste occurring in the retail and consumer sectors of the food supply chain. Concurrently, 10.5% of U.S. households experienced food insecurity in 2019. Food insecurity rates are higher among individuals with low income and disproportionately affects ethically and racially diverse people living in poverty. Diverting excess food from retail and institutional settings to people in need is one method to reduce food waste and enhance individual, household, and community food security. This PhD dissertation describes four studies that explored food waste management in the U.S. among households with low-income and within U.S. food pantries, which are a critical component of the emergency food system. Study 1 consisted of a systematic review that examined differences in food waste attitudes and practices among consumers of across income levels. Study 2 was a quantitative research methods approach to examine food waste attitudes and practices of SNAP-eligible households (n=17). Study 3 was a cross-sectional quantitative approach to examine the impact of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on food waste management within U.S. food pantries (n=290). Study 4 assessed the feasibility of food pantries in Virginia (n=68) to implement marketing-mix and choice-architecture (MMCA) strategies within their food pantries given the changes they had to make in their food distribution models in response to COVID-19 physical distancing requirements. Collectively, the studies described in this PhD dissertation address knowledge gaps and may be used to inform policies and initiatives to increase food security and decrease food waste among households with low-income and organizations aimed at serving them. / Doctor of Philosophy / Food waste in the U.S. is a major challenge that impacts the environment, economy, and society. The largest amounts of food waste are generated within food retail and consumer household settings. Concurrently, food insecurity, which is defined as obtaining and having access to enough food for an adequate, nutritious diet, is also another complex food systems challenge in the U.S. Food insecurity rates are higher among people with low income and disproportionately affects ethnically and racially diverse people. The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic placed further pressure on these two food systems challenges. Diverting excess, wholesome food from retail and institutional settings to people with hunger is a preferred method to mitigate both food waste levels and food insecurity rates. The U.S. emergency food system, which is a network of food recovery organizations that aim to receive excess food from retail settings and redistribute the food to people with hunger, play a pivotal role in addressing these two challenges. This PhD dissertation described four studies that address these two challenges. While this dissertation examined food waste management, the first half of the dissertation explored this topic within households and the second half explored food waste management within food pantries, which are a critical component to the U.S. emergency food system. Study 1 utilized a systematic procedure to review previously published consumer food waste research. The purpose of this study was to examine differences in food waste attitudes and practices among consumers of various income levels. Study 2 used a survey to examine food waste attitudes and practices of households eligible for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Study 3 explored the impact of COVID-19 physical distancing requirements on food waste management within U.S. food pantries. Lastly, study 4 explored the feasibility of food pantry staff/volunteers on implementing behavioral economics strategies, which are changes to a setting that can promote selection of a certain food item, within their food pantry. Collectively, the studies described in this PhD dissertation address knowledge gaps and may inform policies and initiatives to mutually increase food security and decrease food waste among households with low-income and organizations aimed at serving them.

La tesi di dottorato è stata sviluppata all'interno del progetto nazionale Valorvitis ed è suddivisa in due parti. La prima riguarda la caratterizzazione chimica di sei estratti di vinacce d’uva ottenute diverse varietà di uva: tre a bacca rossa( Pinot Noir, Barbera e Nebbiolo) e tre a bacca bianca (Moscato, Muller Thurgau e Chardonnay). Ogni estratto è stato caratterizzato per contenuto e composizione in composti fenolici. La seconda attività consiste nello studio di un metodo alternativo di estrazione-purificazione basato sull'impiego di Gas Aphron Colloidali (CGAs) con la finalità di ridurre i costi di processo, la quantità di solvente da utilizzare durante la fase di estrazione e, allo stesso tempo, aumentare il grado di purezza dell’estratto in termini di contenuto polifenolico. / The present PhD thesis work was carried out under the framework of the Valorvitis.Extracts have been obtained from different red (Pinot Noir, Barbera and Nebbiolo) and white (Moscato, Muller Thurgau and Chardonnay) grape marcs and quantitatively analysed for the content of total phenolics, tannins, anthocyanins, cinnamic acids, flavonoids, flavonols, sugars (glucose and fructose) and for the anti-oxidant power (AOP). A new extraction-purification process based on CGAs application has been investigated. CGAs were first reported by Sebba (1987) as micro bubbles, with dimension among 10–100 μm, composed of a gaseous inner core surrounded by a thin surfactant film, which are created by intense stirring of a surfactant solution above its critical micellar concentration. Surfactants are able to catch phenolics thanks to both electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions depending on the surfactant (ionic or non-ionic) and on the phenolic compound. In this project the low-cost non-ionic food grade surfactant Tween 20 was used.