Science Beer Talks: 'Combating Food Waste – The Challenges of Fresh Food Supply Chains'

Vanessa Magalhães, a researcher at the UC Centre for Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Processes, will be the guest speaker at the next “Pontos nos iii – Science Beer Talks” session, on the theme “Combating Food Waste: Challenges in the Fresh Food Supply Chain”. The event will take place on 19 March, from 6 to 7 pm, at the UC Exploratório.

The issue of food loss and waste along fresh food supply chains has recently gained special attention, particularly since the goal of reducing global food waste at both production and consumption levels was included in the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

This session will explore the reasons why so much food is lost before it reaches consumers, examining the underlying factors behind the problem. It will also address the main causes of food waste at different stages of the supply chain and discuss effective strategies for reducing these losses — including improvements in logistics and innovations in production and distribution planning.

Vanessa Magalhães is a lecturer at the Faculty of Sciences and Technology of the University of Coimbra and a researcher at the Centre for Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Processes (CEMMPRE). Her research focuses on supply chain management, sustainability, and the transition to a circular economy.