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The food industry has always been slow to changes. But with new technologies on the rise and more customer demands, this stubborn industry is slowly adapting. Below are some new breakthroughs in technology that are affecting what we eat and how our food is made.
3D Printing: This device was originally developed with a grant from NASA, hoping to create an alternative plan for astronaut meals in space. Now with this technology, people can "print" their food with desired ingredients and customizable shapes. The machine has already created burgers, pizza, and even chocolates.
Edible Codes: Traceability in food-chains has always been a top concern for both consumers and producers. Consumers want to know the exact source of their food while producers need a way to quickly track down its origins if contamination does occur. This technology applies an invisible code to the coatings of food, and when scanned under special machines, it will provide useful information like which farm the food was produced in and the exact row it was picked from.
Precision Agriculture: This technology, also commonly referred to as satellite farming, is a technique that uses a GPS tracking system to monitor weather patterns. This allows farmers to maximize efficiency by adjusting their crop yields and soil levels accordingly. As population increases, food shortages continues to be an important issue. This can be a very useful technology to ensure that food yields flourish.
Pulse Electric Field: A European research project has been experimenting with pulse electric field, a high-voltage treatment that allows for more extraction fruit juices. This technology perforates fruit cells, thus simplifying juicing and increasing efficiency in food processing. It started off with testing apples and is now planning on expanding to grapes and other fruits.
These technologies are revolutionizing our concept of food. Despite the controversies, they are still advancing society in numerous ways.
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