Food waste has a significant environmental, economic and social impact. When it´s not possible to reduce this waste, re-use of food through secondary markets or giving to the most vulnerable members of society should be promoted (FAO, 2013).
The present study aimed to characterize the process of reuse of meals and to develop a quantitative model of relative risk analysis associated to the process.
Meal temperature data were collected from donation to consumption using data logger and consumer data surveys. Based on growth models and dose-response curves available in the literature, and fixed initial concentrations, the growth of Salmonella, Stapylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes was modeled and relative risks were calculated at times of meal collection and consumption.
The mean relative risk was 1.30; 1.27 and 1.02 at collection and 1.25; 1.57 and 1.04 at the 1st consumption, respectively for Salmonella, S. aureus and L. monocytogenes. Considering a control of the process in its preparation phase (maximum 1h at 10ºC), it was possible to reduce the relative risk at the collection to 1.06; 1.11 and 1.0.
The risk associated with the meal reuse process can be reduced through a better control of the storage temperatures in the mediating institutions and the awareness of the beneficiaries to improve the conservation and consumption within the established period.