Let’s explore the world of ‘Food Tech’

The world is facing a food crisis, which is caused by climate change, wars between nations, and rising energy prices. To prevent the depletion of the Earth’s food resources and the fight against human hunger, we need to embrace food tech. Food tech is the application of new technologies such as biotechnology, AI, IoT, 3D printing, and robotics to the food industry, with the aim of creating additional value. The global food tech market is expected to reach $360 billion by 2025. However, which technologies hold the most potential in creating the ‘food of the future’? By exploring the different stages of the food industry’s value chain, including raw material production, food preparation, cooking and service, and food disposal, we can identify the technologies that can create the ‘food of the future’. The innovations from food tech startups will revolutionize the way we consume food.

Create Raw Materials: feed from flies

Before we consider the environmental impact of consuming meat, we need to examine the feeds used to raise livestock. The raw materials used in feeds are mostly chemicals, and their production process releases carbon, resulting in the emission of large amounts of methane gas. Studies show that this gas contributes to the current climate crisis. However, what if we could use feeds that do not emit carbon? Insects, which are rich in protein and fat, could be the answer. ‘Nutrition Technologies’, a startup in Singapore, has demonstrated this remarkable upcycling process using black soldier fly larvae. Crushing and processing them creates animal feed and bio-oil. The black soldier fly is known as a “good insect” because it is harmless to humans and even decomposes food waste. If we can overcome our prejudices about its somewhat repulsive appearance, it could be a promising food source for a future planet facing food crises. Imagine savoring black soldier fly soup, hot dogs, and protein bars.

Prepare food: Your own 3D printer

Have you ever wondered about the possibility of ‘printing’ food? Similar to how you use a 3D printer to create parts or materials, you can now use it to produce food. Food 3D printing is a technology that uses a digital design made through computer-aided design (CAD) or a 3D scanner, and then layers food ingredients to create a three-dimensional structure. Israel-based startup ‘Steakholder Foods’ has successfully “printed” the world’s first plant-based eel using this technology. The food is made up of ingredients that replicate the taste of eels and are carefully laminated to create a unique texture. This innovation eliminates the need to catch, clean, and cook eels, as well as other meats like steak, salmon, and chicken. 3D printing technology and food production are closely related, with processing methods being simpler, and alternative eco-friendly ingredients can be used. Moreover, the ability to customize the composition of food ingredients using 3D printing means that personalized food production will soon become widespread.

Dining service: Hiring an AI chef

In the near future, we will witness AI robots taking over the kitchen and cooking up a storm. AI chefs will have the ability to flawlessly replicate recipes from famous restaurants, ensuring the best possible flavors. Additionally, AI chefs can understand and identify when humans say something is “delicious” and record it as structured data. ‘Beyond Honeycomb’, a South Korea’s startup, has created an AI chef that can grill a steak to perfection by self-evaluating metics like umami, bitterness, richness, tenderness, and Juiciness. This incredible AI chef even has a spectroscopic sensor on its head that measures the perfection of each dish pixel by pixel. Remarkably, every dish takes less than five minutes to prepare. Several restaurants have already employed the AI chef to provide dining services, and soon it will be available to walk into your kitchen, analyze the ingredients in your fridge, create dishes on its own, and serve you delicious meals every day.

Waste disposal: Biodegradable plastics

Thanks for taking the trouble to use plastic that hasn’t decayed in 500 years. We now propose that you consume plastic that biodegrades in nature. ‘ANPOLY’, a South Korea-based startup, has successfully extracted new plastic materials from discarded food waste, such as chaff and coffee beans. By reducing cellulose to one hundred thousandth its size, they created nanocellulose, which is harder than steel and lighter in weight. The company incorporated the nanocellulose into existing bioplastics to create the polymer. ANPOLY’s innovative approach was recognized with the Future Food Asia Award (FFA) 2022. If advanced new materials can replace the muscles in artificial meat, and even replicate the chewy and tender texture of the substitute, we could be eating plastic in the future. Despite discarding the plastic, it will decompose naturally, thus establishing a genuine resource cycle.