Evaluation of sustainability practices in food and nutrition units

Abstract

Introduction: The Food and Nutrition Units (FNU) aim to offer more nutritionally balanced meals that encompass the concept of sustainability, which addresses ways of conserving and maintaining natural resources, ensuring the satisfaction of the needs of this and future generations. Objective: Investigate sustainability indicators related to the menu and food waste in two FNU services. Materials and methods: Data collection was carried out through the application of a checklist developed by Maynard et al. (2020), to investigate sustainability indicators in food services. This checklist was developed based on the international standards ISO (International Organization for Standardization) 14000, ISO 14001, ISO 14004 and documents from the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA), Green Seal Certifications, and Green Restaurant Association (GRA), beyond certification American Dietetic Association (ADA). Results: At UAN A, the percentage of adequacy of compliance with practices aimed at the sustainable approach was 54.5%, not adequate 31.8% and 13.7% not applicable. On the other hand, UAN B presented a percentage of compliance with these practices at 36.4%, 54.5% not adequate and 9.1% not applicable. Conclusion: There was an adequate percentage of compliance with sustainable practices in the UANs, however responsible managers must implement requirements that aim to further adapt to current needs, to minimize the overall damage and consequences seen in practice.