Smart Technologies in Food Manufacturing

Abstract

The concept of “smart food factory” is also known as “food industry 4.0” or “connected food industry” which relies on the up-gradation of existing facilities to modern technologies and their integration with the internet, cyber physical system, artificial intelligence, big data, cloud computing, etc. Smart food industry is a digitally connected, automated food processing environment where the real-time monitoring of physical operations, collection and sharing of data throughout the processing line, storing and processing the data through neural networking and algorithm, communicating and cooperating with humans in real time, along with precise control over the operation through actuators and robots are done simultaneously. As compared to others, food industries are lagging behind in adoption of modern technologies. However, increasing market requirements and strict compliance of food safety regulation in food industries around the world like, grain processing industry, fruits and vegetables processing industry, meat, fish and poultry processing industry, dairy and beverage industry, etc., upgraded their existing facilities at different levels with modern technologies. This chapter illustrates a deep insight on transformation of different food processing industries from a traditional processing environment to a digitally connected modern technologies based environment over the decades.KeywordsAutomationArtificial intelligenceFood industry 4.0Internet of thingsProcessing