In 1949 When George Orwell wrote his novel, 1984, he probably didn’t anticipate how prophetic so much of his material would be, yet here we are in the 21st century and Big Brother Surveillance is alive and well. Similarly, with most innovation, so much of it seems far-fetched, but new technology is advancing at such a rapid pace that what seems impossible to us now may very well be considered the norm in a decade or two. And so it is with food of the future – early last year, Food Insight ran an article on Food Innovations of Tomorrow and the technology behind where we’re heading gastronomically is quite astounding.
Petri-Dish Protein – the world’s first lab-grown hamburger debuted in 2013 and the process to grow it is an eye-opener. Stem cells were taken from a cow and then put in a warm, nutrient-rich liquid where they could divide and multiply. From there the cells merged and formed fibres; fibres turned into a ring of tissue; tissue turned into strands; strands were layered to form the final product and voilà you have a hamburger patty.
3D Printed Food – while 3D printing is still enjoying its moment in the sun, it previously only involved the likes of plastics and metals, but the technology behind it can also be used to manufacture food. A cartridge containing raw materials, rather than the aforementioned plastic or metal, is inserted; a laser source heats the material for layering and forming which then creates the necessary layers to produce the 3D object of choice. While research is ongoing, so far scientists have had success creating chocolate, dough and sugar.
Data is King – as with all else these days, it’s data-driven technology that will underpin most development, and the same is true for the future of food. Apps and tools will help us get what we need when we need it. Currently in development is a tool that will scan food and tell you what the nutritional and calorie content of that item is. And then there’s the ‘smart jar’, a container that lets you know when it’s contents are due to expire and will automatically connect to an online store to order more of itself.
The mind boggles at the possibilities, and while this may one day all be mainstream; for now, the idea of a sizzling juicy steak created, bought and cooked the good old fashioned way is infinitely preferable to the petri-dish self-ordering option. For the best in traditional food sources – Halaal certified meat and other food products – call N1 today.
