2.5 Food waste versus yield loss

It is important to distinguish between unavoidable yield loss and outright food waste. Yield loss is a natural by-product, whereas food waste occurs when usable food is discarded. If part of a batch of carrots spoils due to poor organisation, that is food waste; the peel, however, is yield loss. In Iceland, 25–30% of food is lost annually, and a lack of proper recording in foodservice operations is a contributing factor.