Ground beef waste in Mexican households.

Introduction. Household food waste is a primary worldwide concern; however, in developing countries, quantitative information on this matter is scarce. This study aimed to provide baseline information on consumer behaviour, practices, beliefs, and attitudes associated with ground beef waste in Mexican households. Materials and methods. Field data came from a survey of 740 consumers from two major Mexican cities. A survey was administered to consumers willing to answer, and they had five fixed options to select from in the questions related to reasons for awareness and for disposing of minced beef at home. Statistical analysis was performed using Chi-square. Results and discussion. Consumers were asked to choose from the survey the option closest to their opinion. The results indicate that more than 75% of the respondents were households with 3-5 members, comprising mostly children ≤10 years old and a smaller proportion of people aged 70 and over. Only 33% buy ground meat packaged and displayed in open refrigerated cabinets in supermarkets, while the rest, 67%, purchase it from local butchers. The best-before date was considered an important parameter as it reports the level of freshness of the meat and its positive impact on health. In contrast, for >50% of respondents, meat waste is associated with cleaning activities. Discarding or throwing away ground meat in Mexican households can occur within a few days of purchase, and can also be related to inadequate preservation and refrigeration practices. Major reasons for consumer awareness of household food waste were associated with guilt feelings (73.0%) and damage to the environment (71.6%), whilst rotten meat and leftovers not eaten were linked to discarding ground meat. Household refrigerator malfunctions and buying in excess occasionally influenced perishable food waste. There are significant relationships between food wastage and various activities, such as purchasing practices, preparation methods, attitudes, and lifestyles associated with eating habits. Reasons that could be related to wastage are prolonged storage of raw meat, finished of the expiry date and disgust. In addition, other related aspects focus on compulsive buying, coupled with a need for more planning and prioritizing the purchase of large packages. Conclusion. Any program related to reducing minced meat waste in households must include the design of governmental and non-governmental policies that impact all links in the supply chain, especially on the final consumer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]