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Review Article | DOI: https://doi.org/10.31579/2637-8914/262
1M.Sc. Student, Nutrition and Dietetics Department, Sharda School of Allied Health Sciences, Sharda University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
2Assistant Professor, Nutrition and Dietetics Department, Sharda School of Allied Health Sciences, Sharda University, Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
*Corresponding Author: Neelesh Kumar Maurya, Assistant Professor, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Allied Health Science,Sharda University, Greater Noida, 201306, India
Citation: Deeksha Thakur, Neelesh K. Maurya, (2024), The Impact of Technology on Food Product Development, J. Nutrition and Food Processing, 7(12); DOI:10.31579/2637-8914/262
Copyright: © 2024, Neelesh Kumar Maurya. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Received: 28 August 2024 | Accepted: 12 September 2024 | Published: 30 September 2024
Keywords: artificial intelligence; big data; blockchain; product innovation; technology adoption; food industry
The intersection of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), big data, blockchain, and Industry 4.0 is driving a profound transformation in the food product development landscape. This abstract explores how these technologies are revolutionizing the way food is produced, processed, and brought to market, addressing critical challenges related to efficiency, sustainability, and consumer demand. AI is enhancing predictive analytics, optimizing supply chains, and enabling personalized nutrition, while big data analytics provides deep insights into consumer behaviour and market trends, driving informed decision-making in product development. Blockchain technology ensures transparency and traceability across the food supply chain, fostering consumer trust and safety. Meanwhile, the principles of Industry 4.0—integrating IoT, smart manufacturing, and advanced robotics—are reshaping food production processes, making them more efficient, flexible, and adaptive to changing market needs. Together, these technologies are not only accelerating innovation in food product development but also contributing to a more sustainable and resilient food system. This abstract highlights the significant impact of these technologies on the future of food production and the ongoing transformation of the global food industry.
A new era of efficiency and innovation in food product production has been ushered in by the rapid evolution of technology. Emerging technologies like blockchain, big data, artificial intelligence (AI), and the larger Industry 4.0 framework are essential to this shift. AI is transforming the food business by improving quality control procedures, streamlining supply networks, and providing accurate predictive analytics. It makes it possible to create cutting-edge food products and customized nutrition plans that satisfy the demands and preferences of certain customers (Zhou et al., 2022).
Understanding consumer behaviour, market trends, and production efficiencies are all made possible by big data analytics. Businesses are able to make well-informed decisions that improve product development, cut waste, and boost overall productivity by analysing large amounts of data (Arthur, 2013). The incorporation of blockchain technology guarantees supply chain transparency, traceability, and trust, which further improves the food business. Blockchain technology offers an unchangeable, decentralized ledger that documents each transaction and procedure, giving customers confidence in the legitimacy and security of the food items they purchase (Ahamed & Vignesh, 2022).
The next industrial revolution in food production is being driven by the emergence of Industry 4.0, which is defined by the integration of digital, physical, and biological systems. This paradigm shift creates extremely flexible and efficient production environments by combining modern robotics, smart manufacturing, and the Internet of Things. Real-time monitoring and management of production processes is made possible by Industry 4.0, which significantly improves the uniformity and quality of the final product (Ohlsson & Bengtsson, 2002).
That is how the development of food products is being significantly impacted by the combination of AI, big data, blockchain, and Industry 4.0 technologies. In addition to improving food production's sustainability and efficiency, these technologies are spurring innovation and opening up new markets for specialized, premium food items. In order to fulfil the demands of an expanding global population and solve the issues of food security and environmental sustainability, the food sector must continue to adopt and integrate this cutting-edge technology.
Figure 1: Relative global search traffic over the last ten years (2014–2024) for the terms "food safety," "big data," "blockchain," and "artificial intelligence (AI)" on Google.
This graph shows the simulated relative global search traffic over the last ten years (2014–2024) for the terms "food safety," "big data," "blockchain," and "artificial intelligence (AI)" on Google. This graphic illustrates the rising number of searches and interest in these important terms, indicating their increasing significance in international conversations and advancements, especially when it comes to the creation of new food products and technologies.
Artificial Intelligence is the processing of data by machines to gain information and make judgments. It includes a range of technological solutions that boost and increase user activity in terms of acuity, speed, accuracy, and efficiency. These technologies are based on electronic devices, computer systems, and robotics. Making computers, machines, or robots intelligent, equivalent to human intellect, is the main objective of artificial intelligence. It covers a wide range of ideas, including deep learning and machine learning (ML) (Jagatheesaperumal et al., 2021).
The study of "shrewd specialists," or any device that recognizes its current situation and takes actions to increase its chances of achieving a goal, is what the field of artificial intelligence research refers to. AI can be used in agri-food processing to anticipate crop yields, identify food safety hazards, and automate operations like sorting, grading, and packaging produce. In addition, it can be used to lower risk factors, enhance food security, and attain self-sufficiency, all the while decreasing poverty, lowering hunger, and protecting the environment (Angelopoulos et al., 2019).
The initial phase of the food industry (FI) is food production, which is also a crucial process for food safety. The primary definition of food production in agriculture is the care of animals and the planting of crops. For the food sector, food safety is crucial to trade and the economy in today's society (FI). Food transportation involves both the movement and preservation of food, which typically deteriorates as a result of environmental changes. The primary goal of food retail is to avoid selling food that has expired by accident. The entire "life" of a particular food type is described by these four processes, all of which have an impact on food safety. Artificial intelligence-based emerging technologies have the potential to improve agriculture and boost food supply chain productivity and efficiency (Ward & Barker, 2013).
These days, a wide range of businesses have begun to fully utilize AI. AI technology is used to reduce the likelihood of machine failure, improve product quality control, increase productivity in industries, significantly reduce product costs, and ultimately increase the number of potential users of the product in the market as part of the focus on addressing the challenges and transitioning towards Industry 4.0 (Shen et al., 2023).
AI is increasingly being integrated into food product development within the food industry, driving innovation, efficiency, and personalized nutrition. The use of AI in this field is transforming how food products are conceptualized, developed, and brought to market. Below are the key areas where AI is making a significant impact.
Application of Big Data in food product development
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines big data as massive amounts of complicated data that are rapidly gathered (Ward & Barker, 2013). Terabytes, etabytes, or even zettabytes can be used for massive data storage.
Among the ten technologies propelling the smart industries is big data. The eight V's—volume, variety, value, velocity, veracity, variability, validity, and visualization—are used in the literature to define big data.
Big Data is revolutionizing the food product development industry by providing insights that spur efficiency, creativity, and market response. Big data application in this sector is assisting businesses in better understanding customer preferences, streamlining supply chains, and creating goods that satisfy changing market needs. The main domains where big data is influencing the creation of food products are listed below:
Big data gives industries the ability to critically examine many facets of company. Big data analytics are also employed to protect data from various assaults, including those related to privacy and unauthorized access. While Big Data integration in risk assessment can be a significant benefit for real-time data quality monitoring in Industry 4.0, processing vast amounts of data in real-time requires new tools and mechanisms as well as advances in mathematical and statistical knowledge and artificial intelligence (AI), primarily focused on both quantitative and qualitative data analysis. (Dicuonzo et al., 2019).
Application of Blockchain in food product development
A blockchain is a distributed, decentralized, digital ledger that creates a permanent, unchangeable record by adding transactions in a chronological order. A blockchain is an expanding list of records connected by blocks of encryption. A block is made up of transaction data, a time stamp, and a cryptographic hash of the previous block.
Blockchain has four main characteristics as follows:
Blockchain technology is revolutionizing the food industry by offering unprecedented transparency and traceability. Its application in food product development is multifaceted.
Figure 2: This diagram illustrates the role of blockchain technology in the food supply chain. It shows the various stages of the food supply chain, from the grower to the consumer. Each stage is represented by a block in the blockchain. The blocks are linked together, creating a chain of information that is secure and tamper-proof.
Challenges and opportunities associated with technology adoption in the food industry
The integration of technology into the food industry presents a complex landscape of challenges and opportunities. On one hand, technologies like AI, big data, and blockchain offer immense potential for enhancing product development, improving supply chain efficiency, and tailoring products to consumer preferences. For instance, AI-driven analytics can identify consumer trends and preferences, allowing for more targeted product innovation (Demartini et al., 2018). Additionally, AI can be used to optimize production processes, reducing waste and increasing yield. Big data can provide valuable insights into consumer behaviour, allowing companies to develop products that meet specific needs and preferences. Blockchain technology can enhance supply chain transparency, traceability, and safety, building consumer trust and enabling the creation of sustainable supply chains.
However, the adoption of these technologies is not without its hurdles. Significant investments in infrastructure, data management, and employee training are required. Furthermore, ensuring data security and privacy is paramount, as breaches can have severe consequences for both consumers and businesses. Additionally, the rapid pace of technological advancement can create challenges in terms of staying updated with the latest trends and maintaining system compatibility.
Despite these challenges, the potential benefits of technology adoption in the food industry are substantial, driving innovation, sustainability, and consumer satisfaction.
The convergence of technology and food product development is reshaping the industry in profound ways. Artificial intelligence, big data, and blockchain are the forefront of this transformation, driving innovation and efficiency. By harnessing the power of these tools, food companies can gain invaluable insights into consumer preferences, optimize production processes, and ensure product safety and quality.
AI-driven algorithms can analyse vast data tests to identify emerging trends, predict consumer demand, and accelerate product formulation. Big data empowers businesses to make data-driven decisions, reducing development time and minimizing product failures. Blockchain technology offers unprecedented transparency and traceability, building consumer trust and enabling the creation of sustainable supply chains.
Looking ahead, the future of food product development is undeniably intertwined with technology. Advanced robotics and automation will streamline production, while personalized nutrition will become the norm. as technology continues to evolve, the food industry will be at the forefront of innovation, delivering safer, healthier, and more sustainable products to consumers worldwide.