Food waste volume and origin: Case studies in the Finnish food service sector

•We studied originally edible and inedible food waste in the Finnish food service sector.•We examined food waste in different types of food service outlets.•Food waste was divided into three categories: kitchen, service and leftovers.•The main reasons for food waste in the sector are serving waste and overproduction.•According to the results, about 20% of all food handled and prepared in the sector was wasted. We carried out a project to map the volume and composition of food waste in the Finnish food service sector. The amount, type and origin of avoidable food waste were investigated in 51 food service outlets, including schools, day-care centres, workplace canteens, petrol stations, restaurants and diners. Food service outlet personnel kept diaries and weighed the food produced and wasted during a one-week or one-day period. For weighing and sorting, the food waste was divided into two categories: originally edible (OE) food waste was separated from originally inedible (OIE) waste, such as vegetable peelings, bones and coffee grounds. In addition, food waste (OE) was divided into three categories in accordance with its origins: kitchen waste, service waste and customer leftovers. According to the results, about 20% of all food handled and prepared in the sector was wasted. The findings also suggest that the main drivers of wasted food are buffet services and overproduction.