BUFFET DINING AND FOOD WASTE IN HOTELS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF UNTOUCHED FOOD IN MALAYSIA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35631/JTHEM.1145032Keywords:
Buffet Food Waste, Hospitality Industry Malaysia, PRISMA Systematic Review, Sustainable Food ManagementAbstract
Food waste poses a critical environmental, economic, and ethical challenge for the hospitality industry, with buffet dining identified as a major contributor due to untouched plates and unsold leftovers. Malaysia generates approximately 8.3 million metric tonnes of food waste annually, of which nearly 24% remains fit for human consumption, while 86,177 tonnes, equivalent to 10% of total wastage, are discarded during Ramadan alone. Despite this alarming scale, systematic inquiry into buffet food waste within Malaysian hotels remains limited. Anchored in the PRISMA 2020 reporting framework, this systematic literature review synthesised 65 peer-reviewed and grey literature sources to examine the patterns, drivers, and mitigation strategies of untouched buffet food. Content-analytic synthesis surfaced seven thematic pillars: organisation-wide awareness, prevention at source, technological implementation, awareness programmes, customer participation, charitable donations, and recycling. Among these, AI-powered tracking systems exemplified by Winnow, Lumitics, and Leanpath have demonstrated measurable reductions of up to 30% in documented hospitality pilots. Cultural factors, including Malaysia's gastrodiplomatic buffet culture and Ramadan hospitality norms, amplify waste volumes through over-preparation and the cultural imperative of abundant offering. Case evidence from Sofitel Kuala Lumpur Damansara and Westin KL illustrates that leadership-driven environmental commitment can translate into structural waste reductions. The review concludes that integrated interventions combining technological investment, fiscal incentives, and the integration of sustainable food-management criteria into Malaysia's hotel star-rating system are essential for evidence-based waste governance. Findings offer a benchmark framework for hospitality practitioners and policymakers, contributing to scholarship on sustainable tourism management.
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