Food Losses in the Cereal Supply Chain

This paper analyzes food losses in the French cereal supply chain from field to retail. Out of 64 Mt of wheat, maize, barley, and rice harvested, only 8.7 Mt (10 %) serve human food, mainly as processed products. Harvest losses are estimated at 2 % (4 % for maize), storage losses remain low through pesticide control, and processing losses are limited by industrial procedures and coproduct recycling. Retail-level product recalls amount to 270 000 t, partly lost. The study recommends improving harvesting machinery, exploring alternatives to storage pesticides, organizing collection and valorization of withdrawn products, and assessing energy and environmental balances to enhance sustainability.