Loss is also slack in the system. The alternative might be food shocks when demand is underestimated and we run out of food. That is much much worse than some f

Loss is also slack in the system. The alternative might be food shocks when demand is underestimated and we run out of food. That is much much worse than some food getting thrown away. Food shortages are society-destroying levels of bad and some food waste is an acceptable price to pay to avoid them. Until we get matter replicators, I don't think we can have just-in-time inventory for food.