CHARACTERIZATION OF SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES IN FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICES IN HOSPITALS
SUSTAINABLE PRACTICES IN FOOD SERVICES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14306/renhyd.29.4.2484%20Keywords:
Food services, Food lost and waste, NutritionistAbstract
Introduction: The Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) manufactures and distributes food according to nutritional recommendations, impacting the hospital food supply chain. The UN and FAO promote sustainable practices to reduce resource use and waste. Objective: To describe the sustainable practices of Food and Nutrition Services in Hospitals in Chile. Methodology: A cross-sectional analytical study was developed through the application of a 43-question survey previously validated by experts, distributed online and directed to nutritionists with experience in the area of FNS. Results: Of a total of 66 SNSs evaluated, 62.1% were concentrated in the Metropolitan Region, 80.3% corresponded to services of maximum complexity. Only 36.4% comply with sustainable practices according to the established criteria. With respect to water use, only 48.5% comply, while there is greater compliance for the elimination of liquid waste, but not for preventive maintenance of equipment and the use of electricity, where the results are more worrying. 97% use disposable cardboard and plastic disposables for single use and there is a low level of recovery of waste generated in the production process. The main barriers identified for the implementation of sustainable practices include the lack of time of the professional nutritionist to monitor processes (45.5%) and the low awareness of food handlers (43.9%). Conclusion: Hospital FNS in Chile need to improve environmental management through training, monitoring and institutional commitment. Nutritionists play a key role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
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