A Descriptive Study of Food Waste-Related Practices and Policies among Food Pantries in Central and Eastern North Carolina.

ABSTRACT: Food pantries play a key role in addressing food insecurity, relying, in part, on foods nearing their sell-by dates to address needs. Yet, little is known about pantries' food waste-related practices and policies. In an online survey of 84 pantries in North Carolina, fresh produce was reported as the most discarded category and spoilage as the primary reason for discarding food. Most pantries (87%) had an extension dates policy for guiding decisions related to foods past their sell-by date. These findings demonstrate that, while many pantries strive to mitigate waste, broader implementation of food waste-related policies may be beneficial.

SUBMITTER: Meduri A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11819998 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature