Growing Importance of Food Technology

Artificial intelligence makes production lines more efficient by streamlining the process, and software technology is transforming the food industry.

FREMONT, CA : Technology influences every aspect of people's existence, including food. Food technology is crucial throughout the food lifecycle, from cultivating crops to processing ingredients to preparing tasty dishes. Nature occasionally requires assistance to acquire and process enough palatable and nutritious food to sustain billions of people. Here comes culinary technology into play. While the word "technology" today may conjure images of robots and computer algorithms, the definition of food technology is not bound to the most recent technological advancements. The application of food science to diverse foods constitutes food technology.

Even the food produced has likely been affected in some way by food technology. The seeds sowed in the garden may originate from plant varieties bred to produce more crops with less water and sunlight. Or, if they have a small indoor hydroponic garden on the kitchen counter to grow herbs, that would also be considered food technology. Food systems constitute a vast industry that affects virtually every person on Earth. Numerous food science and technology universities have laboratories for developing and testing novel food technologies.

Sometimes, governments or corporations also own and operate the laboratories. Whether a school, government, food scientist, or corporation is developing food technology, it aims to meet the growing global demand for safe and wholesome food. The term "processed food" has acquired an unjustified negative connotation in recent decades. Many of the general public may believe it only refers to boxed foods high in sodium, saturated fat, and preservatives. However, regarding food technology, processed food refers to virtually any food part of a food system. 

Even selecting, washing, and packing food technology is crucial in making all the safer, more cost-effective, and more energy-efficient commodities. All people constantly have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, secure, and nutritious food that satisfies their food preferences and dietary needs for a healthy existence. Supply chain demands must be met to ensure developing nations have an adequate food supply. Ensuring everyone has access to secure, nutritious food requires more than simply increasing food production. 

Food technology entails transforming as much of that freshly grown raw food as feasible into wholesome products with minimal energy consumption and waste throughout the food supply chain (processing, packaging, distribution). Food technology is essential for ensuring global food security. Modern examples of agricultural technology include the various robots that assist farmers with weeding, watering, and crop health monitoring. Robots also play a significant role in food packaging and processing. The software improves the predictability of crop yields and contributes to quality assurance.