5 Ways New Technologies Are Affecting The Food Industry

You may think that technology is taking over everything, and to some degree, you may be right. Although not too much thought may be put into it, technology is even having an impact on the food you eat. This article will examine five ways technology is influencing the food you eat.

1. GMOs

While this may seem like a new technology, it's actually been around for awhile. The first genetically modified organism was made in 1994 and products from GMOs have been in stores since 1997. Essentially, scientists can make certain crops pest resistant as well as herbicide resistant. Besides that, scientists can increase the nutrition of the crop itself. So, now when you bite into a carrot, you're actually receiving far more nutrition than before. GMO crops are also being modified to grow in habitats that differ from its origin, aiding in the food crisis in many countries.

2. Precision Agriculture

Also called satellite farming, this form of farming includes using GPS tracking systems as well as satellite imagery to keep an eye on weather patterns. It can also give farmers their crop yields and soil levels. This helps farmers become further efficient on the farm. With the worries over food shortages as many countries begin to approach overpopulation levels, making the most of an area and ensuring that food yields are at their optimal is critical. This technology gives the farmer the information they need to plant only on the parts of land that will yield the most food.

3. Data Analysis

If you thought attending coding bootcamp phoenix was just for programming computers, guess again. Data analytics is part of the food industry, too! With tons of data coming in about certain foods, analyzing all of that data and determining relationships and trends allows authorities to determine which foods are actually poor for human nutrition. This has been seen impacting the FDA who have had to rewrite some of their protocols around certain foods as new data comes in about how they impact our bodies.

4. Waste Not, Want Not

In the United States, a lot of food goes to waste. Whether consumers don't pick certain fruits they believe is ripe, or they just toss out their leftovers, food usually ends up in the trash. To combat this waste, a few companies have started to take this food waste and turn it into cosmetics instead. These cosmetics are then sold, and that food that would have just been rotting at the bottom of the dumpster serves a purpose instead.

5. 3D Printed Food

It may seem strange to think of edible food coming out of a computer-like device, but it's a legitimate operation. One company has already managed to make candies using pure sugar and a 3D printer. They even teamed up with Hershey's and produced chocolate straight out of the printer. This new development could be used to make meatless meat, satisfying that need for meat whilst cutting down on the number of slaughtered cows and the substantial amount of carbon emissions that are created in the meat industry. One product, Foodini, is already selling to homes. You can make 3D printed pizzas, desserts, and burgers! Of course, you do need to mix the ingredients first in a blender. Perhaps in another year, there will be an attachment that performs that action for you.

That's Not All

This barely scratches the surface of other ways technology has been impacting the food industry. As our tech becomes smarter and more advanced, so too, does our relationship with food. It can teach us how to develop without hurting our planet, and provide us with the hope that we can find a way to solve world hunger one day. If the current technology is anything to go by, soon hope will turn to fact.