Innovation In Food Industry Research Articles

Immobilization of Microbial Cells in Food Fermentation Processes

The purpose of this review is to emphasize existing trends and recent advances in the application of immobilized cell technology so as to implement some innovations in food industry associated with processing, preservation, and storage of the products based on the food safety issues. Attention is focused on the engineering aspects of the immobilized cell techniques with emphasis on the mass-balance-based mathematical modeling of the system. Some aspects of models for safety, quality, and competitiveness of the food processing sector are also presented. Ultimately, development of products with novel properties within the alcoholic beverages, meat processing/preservation, manufacture of cheese and bread, sweeteners and pigments, as well as nutraceuticals is also addressed.

FI "Best Innovation in food industry" gold for EBI food safety

FI "Best Innovation in food industry" gold for EBI food safety

Nutrient profiling schemes: overview and comparative analysis

Nutrient profiling is a discipline aimed at classifying foods based on their nutritional composition. So far, several profiling schemes have been proposed for varied purposes world-wide. Primary aim to inventory the main profiling schemes that have been developed so far (both applied and not) and to summarise their main aspects. Secondary aim to critically review a selection of them, to test their "performance" and to evaluate their strengths and weaknesses. Scientific and popular search engines were used for identifying profiling schemes. Schemes were described concisely by providing details on four main "Building Blocks" or factors: (1) Food category declination: category-wise or "across the board"; (2) Reference amount: 100 g, 100 kcal; serving; (3) Cut-off use: thresholds or scores; (4) Nutrients Selection: balance between positive and negative nutrients and number of them. The "performance" analysis was done by testing how the selected schemes classify a sample of food. Profiling schemes display considerable variation based on the underlying approach, format and content. Moreover, the rationale of the schemes largely varies and seems to be inspired by either nutrient recommendations or regulations figures. When tested for "performance", the five selected schemes classify in the same way foods having either a very "positive" or a very "negative" nutrient profile, whereas they give inconsistent results for food products with intermediate characteristics. Strengths and weaknesses analysis shows the difficulty of finding schemes combining qualities such as simplicity, scientific relevance, ability to cope with changes in nutrient recommendations. Current proposed profiling schemes exhibit a wide range of differences both in terms of approaches and "performance". Nutrition scientists have now the challenge to develop the "ideal scheme" that, in our view, will have to be strict enough to ensure consumer protection but also flexible enough to encourage food industry innovation and to promote a "healthy" competitive market.

What's on the Label?

When you are buying food, are you one of the 30% of shoppers (an estimate in the United Kingdom) who always read the labels, or one of the 20% who rarely or never give them a glance? Do you know what to make of them if you read them? Labels are meant to inform you and to help you to choose. But when you go shopping, how much time do you have to read about the differences between 30 types of chicken soup or 300 varieties of breakfast cereal? Consumers seem to want more and more choice, and consumer pressure groups definitely want more information on food labels. Choice and information are also attractive to regulators, because these options are less likely to be viewed as restricting individual freedom or stifling food industry innovation than the alternative of regulating food content.

Innovation in the food industry

AbstractTwelve food‐manufacturing companies in six European countries have been studied with respect to the way in which they innovate, their motivations, and their emphasis on product or process innovation. It is suggested that the traditional “demand‐pull” versus “technology‐push” versus “a mixture of both” debate is too simplistic. Firms behave differently depending on their dominant “orientations” towards the product, the process, or the market, the types of market they supply (particularly whether they supply branded or private‐label products), the nature of their ownership (public, private, co‐operative), market size and scope, and company size. The suggestions of the case studies are, in general, supported by quantitative results from a survey of food manufacturers, though the survey was not designed specifically for this purpose and further quantitative model development is proposed. The findings reported in this article and the proposed refinements are important to firms and policy‐makers concerned with the efficiency and effectiveness of food industry innovation [JEL Classification Codes: L100, L200, L660] © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Food industry innovation: Efficient consumer response

The food manufacturing and distribution industry is undergoing a series of rapid changes. This article examines an important innovation within the industry known as efficient consumer response (ECR). The conceptual model employed has been used for over 50 years to analyze the adoption and diffusion of innovations. The findings are based on 40 in-depth interviews conducted with top industry leaders representing manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers. General awareness of and interest in ECR was quite high among industry leaders. However, many respondents perceived ECR to be a very complex system that would have a wide range of impacts. Different industry segments expressed varying perceptions about ECR. The article concludes with recommendations for improving the management of change and successful implementation of innovations within the food industry. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Food industry innovation: Efficient consumer response

The food manufacturing and distribution industry is undergoing a series of rapid changes. This article examines an important innovation within the industry known as efficient consumer response (ECR). The conceptual model employed has been used for over 50 years to analyze the adoption and diffusion of innovations. The findings are based on 40 in-depth interviews conducted with top industry leaders representing manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers. General awareness of and interest in ECR was quite high among industry leaders. However, many respondents perceived ECR to be a very complex system that would have a wide range of impacts. Different industry segments expressed varying perceptions about ECR. The article concludes with recommendations for improving the management of change and successful implementation of innovations within the food industry. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Innovation in the food industry

Innovation in the food industry combines technological innovation with social and cultural innovation. It occurs throughout the entire food system, including production, harvesting, primary and secondary processing, manufacturing and distribution. The ultimate innovation is a new or improved consumer product and service. Innovations can be focused in one area of food technology, for example process engineering, product formulation, food qualities or consumer needs; but ripples spread causing changes in other parts of the food system, in consumer eating patterns and in general social and cultural areas. Food industry innovation strategies need to be based on the total technology in the food system and concerned not only with the technological changes but also with the social and environmental changes, so as to produce food that satisfies the nutritional, personal and social needs and wants of all communities.

Nutrition: A Driving Force behind Food Industry Innovation

Many of the food technology innovations that are seen in today′s marketplace have an underlying nutrition basis. It is likely that future innovations will also be borne out of current and future nutrition issues. Nutrition can play a key role in the strategic planning both of marketing and technological aspects of the food industry.