Waste generation in the acquisition of vegetables in nature and minimally processed by nutrition and dietary service of a public hospital

Abstract Meal production activities are responsible for the environmental impact. This study evaluated waste generation from the acquisition of vegetables in nature and minimally processed vegetables (MPV) for meal supply in a Nutrition and Dietetics Service of a federal public hospital. It is a cross-sectional descriptive, retrospective study, of quantitative character, with secondary data considering 2016 and the first semester of 2017. As a result, the estimated monthly mean of waste generation from non-edible parts of fruit was 5545.8 kg, corresponding to 34.2% of the total acquisition of 2016. Data from the first semester of 2017 showed an increase of 3.7% higher than the 2016 average. In the evaluation of vegetables, MPV acquisition by the study period projected a non-waste generation of 73,8 tons. If these vegetables were bought in nature would be necessary more 25.6% of raw material in 2016, and in the first semester of 2017. The results of the present study showed that MPV acquisition becomes an alternative for food and nutrition services.