Quantitative analysis of food products allocation into food consumption styles for material flow analysis of food

To provide effective food and food waste policies, it is necessary to quantitatively assess food and food waste flows. Expenditure has been previously used for calculating allocation factors for material flow analysis, but using the price of food products for quantitative study is inadequate because price also encompasses the cost of food processing and services. In this study, weight-based food allocation factors were calculated based on consumption style to provide the first step for future material flow analysis of food. We used Family Income and Expenditure Survey data, unit price data, composition of food items data, and food weight change from cooking. As a result, the allocation factors of food products for meals at home, convenience meals, and meals outside the home were calculated to be 81, 8, and 11 %, respectively. It differs largely from expenditure-based allocation factors. To verify these findings, we calculated material cost ratios for food prices using the gap between weight-based and expenditure-based allocation factors, and compared the results with actual material cost ratios. The results of this study are expected to be used for tracing food and food waste flows and also for evaluating food consumption’s impact on the environment.