Table 4. Comparison of indirect and... | Emerald Publishing

Table 4.

Comparison of indirect and direct measurement of FLW

	Indirect measurement	Direct measurement
General approach	Mass flows model used to estimate FLW at a specific FSC position(s)	Direct collection of waste samples to estimate FLW at a specific FSC position(s)
Steps to calculate FLW	FLW estimated using five-step process Estimate production volumes (typically national or transnational), per commodity Estimate food loss coefficient, per commodity Calculate the product of the production volume and food loss coefficient, per commodity Allocate FLW across the FSC, per commodity Sum per commodity FLW to develop total per FSC position FLW	FLW estimated using six-step process Scope by position on FSC, where waste samples will be collected Scope by geography (e.g. city) Scope by FLW sorting categories (e.g. edible and inedible) Collect representative samples of FLW Manually sort and weigh FLW into selected categories Extrapolate FLW by scoped position(s) on the FSC, geography and sorting categories
Output	Results in general national and transnational FLW estimates	Results in specific and geographically scoped local FLW estimates
Using data	Identifies and estimates extent of FLW but offers little ‘empirical’ evidence on where to possibly implement interventions	Identifies and estimates extent of local FLW and offers ‘empirical’ evidence on where to possibly implement interventions

	Indirect measurement	Direct measurement
General approach	Mass flows model used to estimate FLW at a specific FSC position(s)	Direct collection of waste samples to estimate FLW at a specific FSC position(s)
Steps to calculate FLW	FLW estimated using five-step process Estimate production volumes (typically national or transnational), per commodity Estimate food loss coefficient, per commodity Calculate the product of the production volume and food loss coefficient, per commodity Allocate FLW across the FSC, per commodity Sum per commodity FLW to develop total per FSC position FLW	FLW estimated using six-step process Scope by position on FSC, where waste samples will be collected Scope by geography (e.g. city) Scope by FLW sorting categories (e.g. edible and inedible) Collect representative samples of FLW Manually sort and weigh FLW into selected categories Extrapolate FLW by scoped position(s) on the FSC, geography and sorting categories
Output	Results in general national and transnational FLW estimates	Results in specific and geographically scoped local FLW estimates
Using data	Identifies and estimates extent of FLW but offers little ‘empirical’ evidence on where to possibly implement interventions	Identifies and estimates extent of local FLW and offers ‘empirical’ evidence on where to possibly implement interventions