New technology in food industry

Technological advance gathered speed in all areas of food technology as the 20th century progressed. 

‘Instant’ coffee was invented in 1901, the first patent for hydrogenating fats and oils was issued in 1903, flavor enhancer, monosodium glutamate was isolated from seaweed in 1908.

New and alternative food processing methods, as well as novel combinations of existing methods, are continually being sought by industry in pursuit of producing better quality foods economically.

Hence, new innovations, technologies and concepts continue to emerge. The developments in recombinant DNA technology offer the opportunity not only of better controlling existing food processes, but also of developing entirely new approach to quality control and food product development.

The potential of this technology to benefit the food processing industry and to improve food quality such as appearance, texture, flavor, shelf-life ease of processing and nutritive value is enormous and its true economic impact .

Food processing has become more sophisticated and diverse in response to the growing demand for quality foods.

Strategies to meet such demands include modification to existing food processing techniques and the adoption of novel processing technologies.

New technology may reduce the number of existing jobs, but many studies show that it creates new demand, either by increasing productivity and hence real incomes, or by creating new goods.

Economists have generally argued that in the long run new technology creates more jobs that it eliminates. Today the world of food technology has a handful of options to explore that could make the food industry more diverse, competitive and efficient.
New technology in food industry