HISTORY

The food industry has seen remarkable growth since its very beginning, and much of this is down to the constant innovations and technological discoveries. The main drivers of this growth can be summarized in the following (IRS, 2013):

Food Preservatives

Classified into two main groups, antioxidants that delay or prevent the deterioration of foods by oxidative materials and antimicrobial agents that inhibit the growth of spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms in food.

Irrigation

The use of some form of irrigation is well documented throughout the history of civilization. It has enabled food production to occur in areas previously too hostile for plants and to counter the effects of drought, which is relevant to regions where the seasonal weather changes have deep impacts on crops.

Industrial Revolution

The industrial revolution from the 1760s to 1840s sesulted in mass production of food products at lower cost and consistent characteristics. This was due to the rapid improvement in technology and process innovations that increased productivity and efficiency, thus allowing more food to be produced.

Transportation

First, railroads and barges, then trucks and air transportation have enabled many food products to be enjoyed in regions where food cannot be grown. Many locally grown food products can be consumed globally (bananas, fish, fruit, etc.) leading to people gorwing food not only for personal consumption but often for a wider and possibly even global market.

Pasteurization

A partial sterilization accomplished by raising milk to a temperature high enough to destroy pathogenic bacteria. This process allows milk to remain consumable for about 14 days if refrigerated in closed containers.

Packaging

Tinned products came to America in 1822 and allowed food to be stored for long periods of time. Some packaging processes were developed to enable Napoleon’s armies to carry war to distant areas and remain well fed.

Nutrition

In the 1950’s and forward, nutrition became a major concern for production/consumption. The emphasis on eating healthy has spawned a new market segment; for example organic foods, low-fat foods and healthy foods all enjoy healthy margins and increased demand.

Pesticides

Pesticides has enabled farmers to significantly increase yield by destroying pests and other forms of organism that might potentially harm the growth of crops

Major Milestones in Food History

Food Preservation

Agriculture

BioTechnology

As such, we have decided to take a deeper look into possible solutions; biotechnology, agriculture, and food preservation. In each segment, we will cover the current measures, implications and future considerations.

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