Audits needed to drive healthcare food savings

A University of Queensland food waste researcher says Australia’s hospitals and aged care facilities could save money and effort through better tracking of uneaten meals.

Dr Nathan Cook from UQ’s School of Human Movement and Nutrition Sciences said up to half of all hospital waste can be food while 23 to 50 per cent of food prepared in residential aged care homes is discarded.

“My motivation comes from working in hospitals and seeing plates and plates of food go out to patients and then come back completely untouched and going into the bin,” Dr Cook said.

“It baffled me — not just from a sustainability point of view, but the labour and time that goes into preparing food that ends up in landfill.

“As well as providing cost savings, reducing food waste cuts greenhouse gas emissions, lowers disposal costs, and supports a more sustainable healthcare system that is better for patients by providing the food they want to eat.”

Given the financial pressures on the health sector and environmental imperative to reduce food waste, Dr Cook is researching how to measure and manage it more sustainably.

“Auditing is the first step towards finding solutions but most food waste audits in hospitals are manual and ad-hoc, often relying on students during placements,” he said.

“That might happen twice a year in hospitals and almost never in residential aged care.

“If we measure food waste, we can identify what’s being left behind and why patients are rejecting it.

“The data can help guide simple changes — things like offering flexible portion sizes, more meal choices or adjusting mealtimes — that reduce waste without compromising care.”

Dr Cook said new AI-based technologies offered a promising audit solution, enabling fast, accurate measurement without disrupting food service operations.

“These tools can photograph and analyse plates before and after meals, providing data on what was eaten and what was left, without adding extra work to kitchen staff,” Dr Cook said. 

Case studies overseas show changes implemented after audits in hospitals led to savings, including about $200,000 a year at one facility in food purchasing alone, with further savings in reduced preparation and disposal.

“I am keen to see auditing innovation adopted in Australia,” Dr Cook said.

“It would allow us to measure, change, and measure again, creating a cycle of improvement that benefits everyone.

“By starting with measurement, we can identify small, realistic steps to have a big impact and help achieve Australia’s national target to halve food waste by 2030.”

Dr Cook’s article is published in Frontiers in Nutrition. It was completed with UQ colleague Dr Karly Bartrim, Dr Kate Sansome from Adelaide University, and Dr Jorja Collins from Monash University