OVER 2 billion tons of food goes uneaten around the world, almost double than previously thought, according to a new report.

An estimated 2.5 billion tons of food was lost on farms or wasted by retailers or consumers globally, accounting for about 40 percent of production, according to research by World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and U.K. retailer Tesco Plc.

The figure tops the previous estimates by about 1.2 billion tons, with farming in wealthier countries being a bigger offender than assumed, they said in a report.

Researchers for years have been trying to piece together data on the true extent of food waste, which the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says accounts for as much as 10 percent of global greenhouse-gas emissions.

The last comprehensive analysis of the total loss and waste from farm to fork was conducted by the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in 2011 and pegged it at about 33 percent.

“The problem is likely bigger than we had thought,” said Pete Pearson, the global lead for food loss and waste at WWF.

“We have known for years that food loss and waste is a huge problem that can be minimized, which in turn could reduce the impact of food systems on nature and climate.” (SD-Agencies)