Current Trends in Green Technologies in Food Production and Processing

Abstract

Finding a balance between food supply and demand in a manner that is sustainable and which ensures the long-term survival of the human species will be one of the most important challenges for humankind in the coming decades. Global population growth in the last several centuries with the attendant demands resulting from industrialization has made the need for food production and processing an important issue. This need is expected to increase in the next half century when the population of the world exceeds 9 billion. Environmental concerns related to food production and processing which require consideration include land use change and tremendous reduction in biodiversity, aquatic eutrophication by nitrogenous and phosphorus substances caused by over-fertilization, climate change, water shortages due to irrigation, ecotoxicity, and human effects of pesticides, among others. This review summarizes key highlights from the recently published book entitled Green Technologies in Food Production and Processing which provides a comprehensive summary of the current status of the agriculture and agri-food sectors in regard to environmental sustainability and material and energy stewardship and further provides strategies that can be used by industries to enhance the use of environmentally friendly technologies for food production and processing.

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi and Plant Growth-Promoting Pseudomonads Increases Anthocyanin Concentration in Strawberry Fruits (Fragaria x ananassa var. Selva) in Conditions of Reduced Fertilization

“…High levels of fertilization, frequently occurring in intensive agriculture, negatively impact mycorrhizal colonization [10], constitute a significant cost for the producers and are a potential cause of eutrophication and pollution [31]. …”

Development and challenges of green food in China

“…Food processing is a sector encompassing the use of various raw material, processes and production of end products. It ranges from very simple (e.g., selling fresh carrots) to multifaceted (e.g., carrots that are washed, cut and packed to sell to food processors making sauces and stews to sell to caterers making individual sized meals to sell in supermarkets or for airline catering) [71,72] . Raw materials used in food and beverage industries are of farm origin and are produced from the limited resources of land, water and energy, using manufactured inputs such as fertilizers, pesticides and cleaning agents.…”

Current and future trends in food waste valorization for the production of chemicals, materials and fuels: a global perspective

“…Major collaborative initiatives between academia, industry and relevant stakeholders are needed. As summarized by Boyce and Arcand in their review on current trends in green technologies in food production and processing to ensure success, regional, national, and international collaborative efforts along the food chain continuum will be increasingly required . Additionally, sustainable food engineering approaches which harness the power of open innovation and which take into consideration social, environmental, economic concerns will be needed.…”