Abstract Food waste is a serious global problem that undermines food security, environmental sustainability and economic efficiency while constraining progress towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12: Responsible Consumption and Production. We present a bibliometric review of global research on food waste and food waste management for sustainable food production and consumption published between 2000 and 2025. Bibliographic data were retrieved from the Scopus database and analysed using VOSviewer to examine publication trends, leading authors, institutions, countries, journals, collaboration networks, and thematic developments. Of the 1,162 records initially identified, 686 publications met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. The findings reveal a marked growth in food waste research from 2015 to 2025 the past decade, with particularly rapid expansion in research on this topic being observable after 2019, reflecting increasing policy attention and interdisciplinary engagement regarding this area. Research output and collaboration are dominated largely by high-income countries, especially the United States of America, the United Kingdom and several European nations, while contributions from Africa and other developing regions remain limited. Thematic analysis indicates a clear shift away from conventional waste treatment towards prevention-oriented strategies, circular economy approaches, technological innovation, and consumer behaviour research. Nevertheless, substantial gaps persist in context-specific evidence, policy evaluation and practical implementation, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. By mapping the evolution, structure, and gaps in the literature in this field, we provide a strategic knowledge base to guide future research, inform evidence-based policy, and support practical interventions aimed at reducing food waste and advancing sustainable food systems in line with SDG 12.3.
Mashiane et al. (Sun,) studied this question.