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4 food tech trends to watch
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ver three decades of research into food technology, Professor Benu Adhikari has seen powerful changes in our approach to food and nutrition. Leading a team in RMIT’s Food Research and Innovation Centre, he brings researchers and businesses together to develop innovative new products for the global marketplace. Here Adhikari shares the four key technological trends he sees shaping the future of food.
Plant proteins: a booming industry With consumers now more knowledgeable about where their food comes from and its impact on the environment, it’s no surprise the global plant-based food industry is growing exponentially. According to a report by Bloomberg Intelligence, the industry is predicted to leap from US$24.9 billion in 2020 to US$162 billion by 2030. One of the booming trends is plant proteins. Industries that have traditionally sold animal protein-based products are now branching out with plant-based offerings like mock and alternative meats and vegan protein shakes to target a new market. The plant-based food industry is predicted to be worth US$162 billion by 2030. “Plants are made up of different compounds that are nutritionally important like protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals such as polyphenols,” Adhikari explained. “Some plants contain a large amount of protein. This can be extracted and used to create nutritional and delicious products that replace animal proteins.” While soy, pea and lentil proteins are used widely in existing plant-based foods, Adhikari’s team are researching proteins from plants such as hemp and potato to bring greater diversity to plant-based diets. Plant proteins also have economic and environmental benefits. A study published in Nature Food found meat 24
July/August 2022
accounts for almost 60% of greenhouse gases created from food production. “Production of animal protein costs a lot per kilo,” Adhikari said. “Plant proteins cost much less to grow and harvest; they are nutritious and have less environmental impact than livestock.” Some plant proteins like flaxseed and canola proteins are by-products of oil extraction. While historically these proteins were sold off as animal feed for their high nutritional value, scientists have found ways to repurpose them to improve the texture of many plant-based foods.
Next big thing: algal proteins As the food industry focuses on more sustainable practices, Adhikari said companies are looking at algae as a potential source of protein. “Plant protein is already here but algal protein will be the next big thing,” he said. In many ways, plant and algal proteins are nutritionally similar, but algae take less land to grow. “Algae growing in a bioreactor can create the same amount of protein as plants, saving hectares of land,” Adhikari said. Algae requires less land to grow and creates the same amount of protein as land plants. Like plant proteins, algal protein is a by-product of algae oil extraction. Adhikari and his research team at RMIT are working with companies to investigate how they can best use algal protein in food. Adhikari said these proteins have great potential to create diverse food offerings, especially for people with restricted diets. This could include substitutes for animal-based ingredients to improve texture of plant-based foods, as well as fortify health supplements like squalene.
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