All businesses have become technology businesses today, and nowhere has this become more true than the food industry. Many people may still think of the food industry as farmers tilling the soil and feeding their livestock, but the reality today is that foodtech is big business and changing how we all think about food.
Here are three foodtech trends that have hit the mainstream in 2022:
Alternative proteins
Consumers are increasingly aware of their environmental impact, and with the livestock industry a significant source of greenhouse gases and the contributing factor to a number of other environmental issues from deforestation to animal welfare more and more people are choosing alternative protein sources in their diets.
Lab grown meat is already a reality, while so-called “fake meats” that synthesize a meat-tasting product from plant products and making them meat-looking thanks to natural food colouring are already sold in fast food chains alongside beef burgers and chicken wings. 3D printing, fermentation, and molecular biology have made it possible for foodtech startups to develop sustainable alternatives to meat and whilst they may not be any healthier than real meats they will help us create a more sustainable future for the planet.
Nutraceuticals
As people have become more aware of what they eat, they have started to focus more on healthy eating and making sure that their diet contains the right amounts of vitamins, minerals, and other elements. This increased understanding has driven demand for nutraceuticals, such as supplements, functional foods, and gut biome enhancements, which include prebiotics, probiotics, and postbiotics.
The science on nutraceuticals is ongoing, but various studies already show that they provide a variety of health benefits against disorders including auto-immune diseases, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease.
Food waste reduction
Just as people are more aware of the impact the food they consume is having on the environment, they are also increasingly concerned about the large amount of food that goes to waste every year. Not only is the production of this food a waste of environmental resources at a time when water is becoming increasingly scarce, but it is also a financial waste. To combat food waste, foodtech companies are increasingly upcycling and reusing food waste to reduce food production’s environmental impact. This upcycling can be as low-tech as turning out-of-date fruit and vegetables into jams and chutneys to as high tech as turning them into solutions that can be used in the 3D printing of edible products.