Food life cycle and environmental degradation: Contemporary challenges and strategies for their management-prevention

The effect of human activity on the environment, i.e. the atmosphere, soil, water resources and biodiversity, is nowadays so intense and obvious that the concept of a new geological era, the Anthropocene, defined by the action of humans and characterized by the collapse of the ecosystem, is widely and seriously debated. The life cycle of foods, ranging from their primary production through their transportation and availability to the consumers, seems to play a crucial role in the aforementioned phenomenon. Modern food needs of a world population that is rapidly and continuously growing led to a tremendous growth of the food production and food industry sectors, as well as the globalization of the economy and trade regarding these sectors. This in turn has contributed to a dramatic increase in the quantity and variety of food products offered to consumers, but also led to a major environmental impact, including the depletion of water resources,
the erosion and desertification of the land, the chemical pollution of soil, water and air, the reduction of biodiversity and the degradation of the natural landscape. This review emphasizes on the stages of the food life cycle that contribute
to environmental problems, focusing on their major environmental impacts, as well as on the main approaches for their management and prevention, such as environmental management systems and the concept of sustainable development.