The food industry is continuously and steadily evolving. Every other year, we see some trends in food science and technology that revolutionize the way food is grown, manufactured, or processed. Trends in food science and technology not only change how food is produced but also how it is consumed.
We spoke to Humberto Ojeda Avila, a food science technician working at Garden Master in Bensalem, Pennsylvania, US, to know a little bit about the upcoming trends in the food industry. Humberto has been working in the field of food science and technology for a long time now, and here’s what he has observed.
Changes in food labeling
Though food labeling is already standardized and regulated by governing bodies like the FDA, Humberto Ojeda Avila says there are changes coming soon. The way food is labeled currently left a little scope for ambiguity. For instance, many food companies do not list certain allergens on their labels. Also, many food products are labeled as healthy to attract health-conscious buyers today but there are no set standards of what is really healthy.
The FDA, however, is trying to change that. FDA is doing its research to propose a new rule as to when a company can use a “healthy” claim on its food packages.
Meat will not necessarily mean animal protein
This is already becoming quite a rage with many people switching to a vegan diet today. But Humberto Ojeda Avila says that soon plant-based or vegan meat will become mainstream. With ongoing research and advancements in food technology, plant-based meat can be made to look and taste very close to real meat. So consumers don’t have to compromise on anything while being morally and environmentally conscious. Plant-based meats are considered both healthy and environment-friendly.
Alternative ingredients for the health-conscious consumer
Consumers today are more concerned about their health and know what ingredients they should and shouldn’t be consuming. As buyers distance themselves from unhealthy packaged food, manufacturers are trying to replace the usual ingredients with healthier alternatives. Research in food science and technology has brought to light alternative ingredients like coconut oil and nut butter to replace animal fat, almond flour to replace refined flour in baking, etc.
Biosensors and biotechnology to revolutionize the industry
One of the biggest revolutions, according to Humberto Ojeda Avila, will be brought about by Biotechnology. New developments in Biotechnology are expected to give consumers access to biosensors that will help them detect ingredients and allergens in a food package. Gene editing technologies are already changing the nature of some food products that we eat and this will be widely used in food production in the future.
Humberto Ojeda Avila 