With the advent of science and technology, how we order and eat food has changed. You no longer have to sit at a restaurant or wait for a table in many cases, and instead, you can order on your phone and pick it up. Another way people may be affected by food technology is an increase in food choices. You have more options for what you can eat, like vegan options or lab-created meat. Here are some trends in food technology you should know.
Lab-Created Meat and Meat-Free Alternatives
You have more options about what you can eat concerning meat. Many plant-based alternatives are trending and popular. Also becoming more popular is lab-grown protein. Lab-created protein does not require a slaughterhouse and is more environmentally sustainable.
There are a few companies that have lab-created meat, like Aleph Farms. You might want to try this for more sustainable and environmentally friendly meat. Plant-based alternatives are also easily found in grocery stores, so consumers have more options about what protein they can eat.
Better Food Safety Practices
Companies have focused on creating better systems to help food safety. Processes like UV and LED disinfection can help reduce a company’s environmental footprint because they use fewer chemicals and water. Other food safety practices like low-energy electron beams help the planet since they do not utilize harmful chemicals or radioactive substances. Food companies and manufacturers are also looking for ways to ensure their food is safe and compliant with the FDA and other quality control organizations.
Food Customization and Enhancement
Food manufacturers are also looking at ways to better customize and enhance food for consumers. Customizing food can help consumers get the nutrition they want or need and help improve their life. Enhancing food can also help people get additional nutrition and help them cut back on drinks or foods with too much sugar or no health benefits.
Kombucha is one drink that people have started drinking more often for its health benefits. Food manufacturers that make this drink or others have been looking at ways to increase the health benefits of their beverages to help the consumer.
Less Plastic or Plastic-Free Packaging
Consumers will see more plastic-free packaging in the future. Food companies are creating solutions and alternatives to plastic that help the environment. Plastic is infiltrating and polluting our oceans, so companies are racing to find another choice other than plastic usage.
Consumers will see food and drinks with plant-based and easily recyclable packaging. Grocery store customers already have the option to bring their bags to reduce the use of plastic bags. You may also see fewer single-use plastics in grocery stores, which will help the environment.
As food companies become more environmentally friendly and sustainable, consumers will see more options for food and drinks in grocery stores. They may also notice a reduction in plastic use and the results of better food safety practices by food manufacturers. As technology advances, consumers should expect more ways to customize their food and methods to become more sustainable.