Smart Product Design for Food Waste Problem in the Canteen of Chinese University

Abstract

The food waste problem has become increasingly severe, especially in China's developed areas. In the south-east, the food waste problem increased dramatically, especially among young people from 18–29. In this study, 12 university students were interviewed to find out the reasons for food waste. The root causes were found to be the lack of awareness and bad eating habits. At the same time, there is a strong intention that they try to eat healthily and keep in ‘good’ ‘figure’. A smart design solution was proposed based on the calories burnt and stomach capacity to precisely suggest the volume of food people need in one meal, thus reducing the chance of producing food waste. User evaluations were carried out, and the results were mostly positive.