this situation entails a financial loss for producers and additional pressure on natural resources however of the per cent of harvested food that reaches the marketplace per cent is wasted at home by the final consumer institution of mechanical engineers insufficient purchase planning and conservative expiration dates on labelling as well as significant discounts when food is purchased in higher quantities are the main factors explaining the large degree of waste at the consumer level at the producer level premature harvesting of crops usually causes a loss in nutritional value and as a result a significant portion is wasted as it is not suitable for consumption