Consumers’ perception plays a central role in tackling food waste at the final consumption stage, specifically among university students. In Europe, it is estimated that 47 to 67 Mt of food waste is generated at the household level or at food service consumption, including university canteens. The present cross-country research, through an online-based questionnaire among university students, investigates students’ perception on food waste by distinguishing among two different categories: on the one side, students living with their family; on the other side, students living without their family. Further, the research distinguishes among students eating at university canteens, students preparing food at home, students purchasing take-away foods and students coming back home to eat. The study compares university students’ perception on food waste in Italy and in Poland, with the overarching purpose of shaping sustainable pathways and defining educational interventions to enhance students’ perception and awareness on food waste. Data are analyzed according to the Mann–Whitney U test and the Kruskal–Wallis test. Age is a pivotal factor and suggests a generational gap in awareness and attitude toward food waste, whereas sex significantly affects food waste perception in Poland but not in Italy, suggesting a more homogeneous perception across sexes. The research highlights the impacts that socio-economic and environmental crises (e.g., climate change, the Russia–Ukraine conflict, high inflation rates) have on food waste perception in Poland, which is closer to that of Russia and Ukraine compared to that of Italy, and provides academics, practitioners and public authorities with practical and theoretical insights toward food waste minimization.

Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) is valued for its fibers and nutrient-rich seeds, which are increasingly consumed for their health benefits. However, flaxseeds can also accumulate potentially toxic elements (PTEs), raising concerns about safety. This study quantified 11 essential elements (e.g., Ca, Fe, Mg, and Zn) and 9 PTEs (e.g., Al, Cd, Pb, and Ni) in commercial flaxseed samples using inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectrometry. Two intake scenarios (15 g/day and 30 g/day) were analyzed to estimate dietary exposure, with health risks assessed through the target hazard quotient (THQ) and hazard index (HI). The results showed that organic flaxseeds had higher levels of certain elements (e.g., Cu, K, and Pb), while Al and Ni were more abundant in conventional samples. Cadmium levels in both remained below the EU regulatory limit. The highest estimated daily intakes were for K, Mg, and Ca, highlighting the seeds’ nutritional value. However, HI values suggested that Al and Pb could pose health risks. These findings emphasize flaxseeds’ dual nature as both beneficial and potentially harmful, particularly given the lack of specific regulatory limits and limited data on elemental composition. Continued monitoring and risk assessment are recommended to safeguard public health.