Designing resilient foods: The role of food technology in a changing ingredient landscape

Abstract

Food technology integrates knowledge from chemistry, biology, microbiology, engineering and nutrition to improve the food supply chain, from production to consumption. Its origins lie in preservation techniques such as canning and pasteurization, which shaped modern food safety. Today, one of the key functions of food technologists is the reformulation and redesign of the processing of existing products, as well as the formulation and design of new products. In this article, the role of food technologists and food designers is described and contextualized within a dynamic food system with many factors potentially disrupting its equilibrium. Therefore, food technologists and designers must navigate and counteract these disruptions, contributing to the resilience of the system. The function of food technology becomes even more relevant and challenging in a system where ingredient availability changes continuously for many different reasons, and where consumer acceptance plays a decisive role. The relevance of the food matrix is also discussed, particularly because it defines food products and influences their acceptability. Moreover, this article describes this challenge and explores the involvement of AI tools in the food system, particularly in relation to the formulation and processing of food products.