Food Tech Research Articles

"Eat up. Save Earth." Alternative proteins and the myth of inevitable sustainability

The emerging agri-food tech sector promises to solve myriad environmental problems. This article considers the sociotechnical imaginaries that animate these claims. We focus on plant-based meat and dairy substitutes, or 'alternative proteins' (APs). To examine how APs are constructed as environmental solutions, we analyzed marketing materials, sustainability reports, and interviews. Our study illustrates how environmental metrics (Life Cycle Assessments) and corporate marketing make environmental issues legible to agri-industrial logics by reducing them to a narrow, technical issue: inefficient livestock. To critique this problem closure, we develop the concept of inevitable sustainability–where the increased adoption of a technology is equated with the assured reduction of environmental harm. We caution that APs support a neoliberal model of environmental governance that propagates apolitical and deterritorialized solutions. To reflect on the limits of agri food tech environmental fixes, we discuss three myths surrounding inevitable sustainability. We outline this concept's applicability to similar instances of environmental solutionism in agri-food tech and beyond.

Innovation governance in Poland. Technological trends with an outlook to 2030

The research problem of the article concerns adapting current innovation governance theories to assess national innovation systems. The operationalization of this task in the Polish context translated into identifying the most promising trends and technological areas for the Polish economy in the 2030 perspective. The study included a horizon scanning and trend radar variant, identifying seven trends: nanomaterials and nanotechnologies, smart grids and energy storage, Food Tech, smart/precision farming, drone technologies, telemedicine, application of hydrogen in steel, and the technological areas included in them. Results were further assessed based on CAWI surveys conducted on a sample of experts representing the Łukasiewicz Research Network. Smart/precision farming, telemedicine, smart grids and Food Tech proved the most promising for the Polish economy. The small difference in results leads us to believe that nanomaterials and nanotechnologies, drone technologies and hydrogen applications in steel production should also be in the spotlight, but special attention should be paid to the accompanying challenges, such as development costs or insufficient R&D infrastructure. The size and scope of the research make it unique and, at the same time, support the significance of the results for Polish technology, economy and science.

Social media platforms use in startups’ international marketing strategies: a multiple case study

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate how social media support startups in accessing international markets and interacting with foreign customers and stakeholders, focusing primarily on the social network LinkedIn.Design/methodology/approachGiven the explorative research aim, the paper adopts a multiple case study approach, analyzing seven Italian food tech startups. 15 semi-structured interviews were conducted, also involving startup accelerators and a business angel to deepen the knowledge on the investigated phenomenon. In addition, a content analysis of the LinkedIn pages of the seven selected startups was conducted using NVivo 14 software.FindingsThe results of this study show that social media support startups to (1) diffuse brand awareness in international markets, (2) position their offering abroad and (3) develop relationships with international stakeholders to penetrate the local business. Furthermore, the main challenges and difficulties related to the use of social media by startups for these purposes were identified.Practical implicationsThis study provides useful managerial implications to enable startups to strategically use social media to access international markets and connect with key foreign networks. Also from a policy perspective, incentives to support the expansion and consolidation of startups into international markets are crucial.Originality/valueAlthough a vast literature has dealt with internationalization strategies, this study clarifies the role of social media in changing these dynamics speeding up startups’ access to foreign markets and identifying key local stakeholders.

Drivers of a more sustainable future food system – Lessons from Sweden

The global food sector is one of the most impactful sectors in the world, necessitating an urgent shift towards more sustainable practices. Sweden has made great progress in putting sustainability on the agenda as a strategic component of its national development strategy. Still, understanding how a full-scale sustainable food system can be achieved in practice and the drivers of such a transition remain unclear. In this study, we first empirically explore these drivers, their interdependencies and how these affect the Swedish food system's progress towards its sustainability objectives. Then, we assess which scenarios for the future food system in Sweden perform better with regard to sustainability considerations. For the first objective, we utilised the DEMATEL technique to identify and quantify the cause-and-effect relationships among these drivers. The results showed that revenue and the use of toxic materials are key drivers for food systems' sustainability in Sweden, suggesting a path for system improvement focus areas in the future. For the second objective, we applied TOPSIS as a decision-making method for assessing the sustainability of four different future scenarios for the Swedish food system. The outcomes suggest that food tech is the most sustainable scenario among the ones considered. The findings of this study will collectively aid in promoting sustainable consumption, encouraging a shift towards a more sustainable agrifood system in Sweden, a leading nation in sustainability efforts.

Food Tech: 100 Years of Innovations

Food Tech: 100 Years of Innovations

FOOD SECURITY POST-PANDEMIC: A COMMUNICATION STRATEGIC OF CATALYST BUSINESS TRANSFORMATION AND INNOVATION

Food is a source of energy to all living beings, as food gives energy through chemical changes that produce ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate) and ADP (Adenosine Diphosphate). Food energy comes in different types of reactions, there are 3 main types of sources of energy carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Meat is one of the main food that many people feed on. This common meat mostly contains mainly protein and fat.
 This activity is an early step to introduce the scope of performance allocated to companies that will later be appointed to accompany the development of both product and marketing innovation.
 The product innovations from this activity are revolutionizing the steak industry through dry-aging and home preparation, igniting the grill: innovating the steak experience through T-bone grilling, elevating the burger experience: a novel approach to grilled dry-aged burgers, rediscovering the versatility of top round: a proposal for promoting roasted top round, the sous vide revolution - a twist on traditional boneless beef short ribs, spicy hanger steak pizzaiola; and the marketing strategic communication innovation resulting from this activity is the culinary revival: reimagining recipes with food tech students.

푸드테크 기반 로봇바리스타 카페 경험적가치가 고객만족과 재방문의도에 미치는 영향 -추천의도 조절효과 중심-

푸드테크 기반 로봇바리스타 카페 경험적가치가 고객만족과 재방문의도에 미치는 영향 -추천의도 조절효과 중심-

Salad Days: Pairwise Gene Edits Food to Topple Nutrition Barriers

Salad Days: Pairwise Gene Edits Food to Topple Nutrition Barriers

Militaries, militias and unicorns: platform authoritarianism in Brazil

The article presents two cases in which the appropriation of technological innovations leads to renewed economic and power relations, which in turn reinforce local transformation processes of governmental management and of barely-regularized economic activities. The workings of a command and control system in Rio de Janeiro and the delivery structure of a "food tech" company reinforce authoritarian or violent modes of operation, all the while enabling the development of illicit activities linked to the “militianization” of crime, as well as of security forces, of economic activities and of politics in present-day Brazil. Based on these cases, we present a discussion on a few specificities concerning the technological appropriation of certain devices in the Global South and its effects on the production of society and social relations.

Utilizing Youtube and Tiktok Social Media as an Alternative of Food Safety Education

Food safety is one aspect of quality that is a necessity. Therefore, food safety needs to be well understood by all levels of society. Information related to food safety can be easily obtained in today's digital era through various social media. This ease of access needs to be balanced with the delivery of precise and accurate information. Attractive visualization as an illustration in educational design can increase new knowledge for the community. Youtube and Tiktok were chosen as educational media for delivering information related to food safety through the Community Service program. The education delivered on Youtube includes 2 types of information, namely the method of discussing the latest news and food safety in the form of courses at the Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Soegijapranata Unika. Short videos and animations related to microplastics and food safety were delivered through Unika’s Food Tech Tiktok social media, targeting teenagers as the audience. Through this Community Service activity, public would get the reliable education or information about food safety from online media easily. Youtube and Tiktok viewers can also share important messages contained in the video to other social media accounts.

3D 프린팅 기술: 푸드테크 분석

This study was conducted to contribute to the vitalization of the food industry through future food tech analysis of 3D printing technology. Interest in the future food industry of sustainability is increasing in the 4th industrial revolution, and the global food market trend is developing food tech that combines innovative technologies. Research to converge with the 3D printing field and converge to various food tech fields is in progress, and it is intended to be used as a growth engine to seek the development of the food industry. Materials applicable to 3D printing were investigated. Among them, 3D printing technology applicable to grains, proteins and starches, dairy products and sugar materials was investigated. 3D printing technology that can be applied to food can be classified into fused deposition modeling (FDM), color jet printing (CJP), selective laser sintering (SLS) & hot air sintering, and binder jetting. Also, the type of food material and nozzle used is different depending on the 3D printing technology. The results of this study provided information on the development of 3D printing technology and materials, and research trends are examined from the food tech perspective for the application of 3D printing technology as a future food industry. Thus, innovative development for the sustainable future food industry will proceed with food tech fused with 3D printing technology in the era of the 4th industrial revolution.

A food revolution – cultivated meat

A food revolution – cultivated meat

A Study on the Intention to Use Food Tech by CustomersinTheir20'sUsing mTAM(modified Technology AcceptanceModel

본 연구는 수정된 기술수용 모델을 바탕으로 20대 소비자들이 인식하는 푸드테크의 다차원적 특성(건강성, 편의성, 오락성)이 푸드테크에 대한 지각된 유용성과 용이성에 영향을 미침으로 인해 결과적으로 푸드테크 사용의도에 긍정적인 영향을 미치는지 살펴보고자 하였다. 이를 측정하기 위해 경북의 D, G, A 도시에 있는 푸드테크를 경험한 20대 소비자들 173명의 자료를 수집하였다. 실증분석 결과 푸드테크의 특성 중 건강성은 지각된 유용성에 긍정적인 영향을 미쳤으나, 지각된 용이성에는 영향을 미치지 않는 것으로 확인되었다. 반면, 오락성은 지각된 용이성에는 긍정적인 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났지만 지각된 유용성에는 영향을 미치지 않는 것으로 검증되었다. 편의성의 경우 지각된 유용성과 용이성에 모두 긍정적인 영향을 미쳤으며, 또한 푸드테크에 대한 소비자들의 지각된 용이성은 유용성에 유의한 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 마지막으로 지각된 유용성과 용이성 모두 소비자들의 푸드테크 사용의도에 긍정적인 영향을 미치는 것으로 밝혀졌다. 본 연구는 소비자들이 푸드테크를 사용하는 의도에 영향을 미치는 푸드테크의 다차원적 특성을 살펴봄으로써 기업들이 푸드테크를 통한 제품 및 서비스를 개발 시 중요하게 고려해야 할 특성들을 제시하였다는 데 의의가 있다.

Mesenchymal stem cell differentiation and usage for biotechnology applications: tissue engineering and food manufacturing.

ABSTRACTRecent advances in the field of stem cell research now enable their utilisation for biotechnology applications in regenerative medicine and food tech. The first use of stem cells as biomedical devices employed a combination of cells and scaffold to restore, improve, or replace damaged tissues and to grow new viable tissue for replacement organs. This approach has also been adopted to replace meat production in the food industry. Mesenchymal stem cells are the source material used to induce cells to differentiate into the desired lineage. These technologies require mass propagation and rely on supplying the regulatory factors that direct differentiation. Mesenchymal stem cells can differentiate into fibroblastic and skeletal cells; fibroblastic/chondrogenic/osteogenic/myogenic and adipogenic lineages. Each differentiation fate requires specific key molecular regulators and appropriate activation conditions. Stem cell commitment determination involves a concerted effort of coordinated activation and silencing of lineage-specific genes. Transcription factors which bind gene promoters and chromatin-remodelling proteins are key players in the control process of lineage commitment and differentiation from embryogenesis through adulthood. Consequently, a major research challenge is to characterise such molecular pathways that coordinate lineage-specific differentiation and function. Revealing the mechanisms of action and the main factors will provide the knowledge necessary to control activation and regulation to achieve a specific lineage. Growing cells on a scaffold is a support system that mimics natural tissue and transduces the appropriate signals of the tissue niche for appropriate cellular function. The outcome of such research will deepen the understanding of cell differentiation to promote and advance the biotech, allowing the cell expansion required for their usage in therapy or the development of food tech.

Exploring Key Growth Drivers and Strategies for Enhancing Performance of Indian Food Tech Startups

The startup food tech business is a promising option due to its massive size and high repeat ordering behavior, besides the high margins emanating from it. Thus, to remain competitive and factor sustainability, the sector needs to revisit strategies, more so post 2019 due to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is time to focus on the adoption of strategic options for improving the performance of startup food tech platforms while taking cognizance of various critical growth drivers. This paper explored the key growth drivers and challenges startup food tech platforms face and suggested strategies for enhancing their performance. The empirical study was undertaken using a fully structured questionnaire to collect data from the delivery staff of startup food tech platforms in seven major cities in India. The primary data thus collected was used for the descriptive analysis based on the respondents' demographic information. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was carried out to support construct validation to assess the validity of the survey items based on the overall fitness of the model. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the hypothesized relationships between latent factors. The key growth drivers and their corresponding impact on other variables were worked out. This study recommended innovative strategies that can make the food delivery business more successful. The finding revealed that the key growth drivers included personalization & focused marketing, quality assurance, extended convenience, and value to consumers, and their corresponding strategies were reconnoitered. The paper would aid the concerned food tech sector further develop and implement strategic options for enhancing its business performance

Factors responsible for failure of food tech start-ups in India

Factors responsible for failure of food tech start-ups in India

Factors responsible for failure of food tech start-ups in India

Information technology brought radical innovation to the catering industry. The internet has led to the growth of the online food delivery start-up. The use of smartphones and the internet transformed how food is ordered and consumed. The mobile applications enabled customers to order food from restaurants located at distant locations. However, a large number of the start-ups failed, although most of such start-ups received funding from investors. This paper identifies the factors that led to the failure of such companies. Such factors were identified through a review of literature, company reports and business news portals. The study used a questionnaire method to gather the data and used descriptive statistics to list the top failure factors. An independent sample t-test was used to compare the strategies of the failed and successful start-ups.

Food safety vs health and safety

Food safety vs health and safety

The Effect of Tourism Convergence Start-up Physical Environment on Customer Satisfaction and the Word-of-Mouth Intention - Focusing on Food Tech -

본 연구는 급변하고 있는 관광산업 창업에 필요한 융복합요인에 의한 물리적환경이 고객만족과 구전의도에 미치는 영향을 알아보기 위한 연구이다. 연구의 이론적 배경과 정의는 선행연구를 바탕으로 작성되었으며 연구의 범위는 창업이 용이한 관광산업의 한분야인 외식업체에 방문한 소비자를 대상으로 자기 기입식 설문지 방식으로 배포하여 작성하였다. 조사 시기는 2021년 2월 1일부터 3월1일가지 29일 동안 실시하였다. 분석방법은 SPSS 21.0을 이용하여 인구통계학적 특성, 요인분석, 신뢰도 분석, 단순·다중회귀분석, 매개효과분석을 실시하였다. 물리적환경 중 시설인테리어를 제외한 어플리케이션, 서비스 로봇, 무인주문결제시스템은 고객만족에 유의한 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 관광산업 창업시장에 있어 외식업체에 방문한 소비자의 고객만족은 구전의도에 유의한 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났으며 관광산업의 융복합에 의한 물리적환경 중 서비스로봇을 제외한 어플리케이션, 무인주문결제시스템, 시설인테리어는 구전의도에 유의한 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 본 연구에서는 관광산업의 외식분야의 융복합 창업요인에 의한 물리적 환경에 대한 소비자들의 반응을 파악하고 이에 따라 관광산업 그중 외식분야의 창업 발전방향을 제시하고자 한다.

Kitchen in cloud: an analysis of the food tech industry in India

Changing lifestyle, the advancement of information technology and the wider use of the smartphone have greatly increased the ordering of food from online platforms in India. This opportunity is att...