Transforming Food Manufacturing through Technology

If we look back over the last few decades, it’s astonishing how technology has transformed our everyday lives. With the increasing demand for FMCG (Fast-moving consumer goods), the manufacturing industry has had to adapt to keep up with supply. The food sector has seen lots of investment over the last few decades as public awareness of allergies and hygiene has increased. But, there are still many challenges we are yet to overcome. At Chiorino, we work with a number of large food and beverage manufacturers and are always on the lookout for the latest news within that industry. Here are our top 3 emerging technologies that we think will transform the food manufacturing industry.

Bioplastics

Plastic pollution is one of the greatest challenges we have to face in current times. Only 15% of the plastic we produce is recycled. The remaining plastic goes to landfill, is incinerated, or about 8 billion tonnes is dumped in our oceans where it can take 1000 years to break down. But, it looks like we may soon have a solution! Bioplastics are made from corn, sugar cane, and waste oils. They are biodegradable, helping to minimise the build-up of plastic in the environment. At present, bioplastics are not widespread, mainly because they are weaker. However, a lot of investment has been put into researching these alternatives.

Smart Fertilisers

As the population grows, so does the demand for food. Huge investments have been made into more sustainable agriculture methods and ways to optimise yields of crops. One standout method is the use of ‘smart’ fertilisers that can control the release of nutrients, based on temperature, moisture and acidity of the soil, for more precise farming.

Advanced Food Tracking

Despite great advances in food hygiene, 600 million people worldwide suffer from food poisoning annually. Nowadays, food has a much more complex journey before it arrives on our plates meaning it is difficult to locate the source of an outbreak. This means that often large amounts of food is wasted as a precaution. New advanced food tracking systems are being tested that trace transactions between manufacturers and retailers, allowing the user to trace the history of product in an instant.

To speak to us about how our HP Compact Drive Conveyor Belts can transform your manufacturing process, give us a call on 01977 691880 or contact us here.