hydroponics-Getty-Images -powerofforever

The percentage of omnichannel shoppers who are making purchases for a diet or other health-related program—either for themselves or for other household members.

64%

The percentage of omnichannel shoppers that say being able to compare product details—such as nutrition content and ingredients—is important or extremely important when shopping online.

70%

SOURCE: FMI, Transparency Trends: Omnichannel Grocery Shopping from the Consumer Perspective, 2020 (www.fmi.org)

Photo courtesy of Powerofforever via Getty Images

Global hydroponic systems market projected to reach nearly $18 billion by 2026

Hydroponics is an emerging application with high-growth potential, which uses several technologies such as HVAC systems, LED grow lights, communication technology, irrigation systems, material handling, valves and pumps, and control systems. LED grow lights and HVAC are the major shareholders in the smart greenhouse market.

Hydroponics reportedly produce higher yields compared to traditional farming, allow the growth of a high density of plants in the same area, and have the ability to grow crops throughout the year. Smart greenhouses offer different types of covering materials such as glass or plastic roof and frequently, glass or plastic walls.

According to a Research and Markets report, this market is projected to reach nearly $18 billion by 2026.

The increasing population and demand for food in developing regions such as the Asia Pacific boost the growth of the smart greenhouse market. The requirement for fresh food in the Middle East creates an opportunity for urban farming in the region. The increasing trend of rooftop farming and the rising population are two major drivers for the market.

“Security is about people, process and technology—in that order. Much of what we focus on is ‘how’ to address customer security challenges instead of a product-first approach. Technologies succeed only when the people can apply them in a proper process.”
— Wes Sylvester, global director, industrial & consumer go-to-market, Cisco Systems

Photo courtesy of lcva2 via Getty Images

Top 5 technologies transforming food and ag in the next decade

Alternative ingredients and digital tools are critical to weathering disruptions in the agrifood value chain, according to the Foresight 2021 report from Lux Research Inc. The research indicates that the top five technologies that food and agriculture leaders should look into this year are:

1. Bioinformatics. Having developed and risen to prominence largely focused on medical and pharma applications, bioinformatics is now crossing over into agrifood and health.

2. Alternative proteins. Concerns about health and sustainability are pushing to diversify diets away from meat and fish, leading to changes ranging from land use to ingredient supply chains.

3. Precision agriculture. Digital tools are continuing to revolutionize agriculture, improving product yield and quality, and reducing environmental impact.

4. Biofertilizers. Biofertilizers and other microbial biostimulants use living microorganisms to improve nutrient use efficiency and agriculture sustainability.

5. Ingredient informatics. Applying machine learning to recipes and ingredients can produce new product formulations more quickly, rapidly accelerating new food product launches.

Agriculture and food companies alike will need to capitalize on the digital revolution, with ingredient informatics as a prime focus for shortening product development cycles and precision agriculture technologies as unfamiliar-but-critical complements to conventional agrichemical developments, says Joshua Haslun, Ph.D., senior analyst at Lux Research.

“Alternatives to mainstay ingredients are another hallmark of both agriculture and food, where biofertilizers and alternative proteins, respectively, loom large. Finally, look for bioinformatics to come out of its early role in pharmaceutical development to take a prominent, transformative position across the agrifood ecosystem,” he adds.

FOODENGINEERINGMAG.COM I april 2021

<< BACK TO CONTENTS