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• Published: 13 January 2024

Emerging challenges and opportunities in innovating food science technology and engineering education

• I. S. Saguy   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-1570-8808 1 ,
• C. L. M. Silva   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-0495-3955 2 &
• E. Cohen   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-2342-5418 3  

npj Science of Food volume  8 , Article number:  5 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

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An Author Correction to this article was published on 13 February 2024

This article has been updated

Progress in science, technology, innovation, and digital capabilities call for reassessing food science, technology, and engineering (FST&E) education and research programs. This survey targeted global professionals and students across food disciplines and nutrition. Its main objectives included assessing the status of FST&E higher education, identifying challenges and opportunities, and furnishing recommendations. Seven topics affecting the future of the FST&E curricula were evaluated by the panel as ‘High’ to ‘Very high’, namely: ‘Critical thinking’, followed by ‘Problem-solving projects’, ‘Teamwork/collaboration’, ‘Innovation/Open innovation’ and ‘Multidisciplinary’. The importance of academic partnership/collaboration with the Food Industry and Nutrition Sciences was demonstrated. Significant positive roles of the food industry in collaboration and partnerships were found. Other essential food industry attributes were related to internships, education, strategy, and vision. Collaboration between FST&E and nutrition sciences indicated the high standing of this direction. The need to integrate or converge nutrition sciences and FST&E is emphasized, especially with the growing consumer awareness of health and wellness. The study provides insights into new education and learning opportunities and new topics for future curricula.

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Introduction.

The unabated progress in science, technology, and innovation, combined with the exponential rate of change facilitated by the proliferation of computerized capabilities and artificial intelligence (AI), calls for reassessing the food science, technology, and engineering (FST&E) education. The fourth industrial revolution (i.e., Industry 4.0) highlights significant progress in numerous fields, including robotics, smart sensors, AI, the Internet of Things (IoT), big data, cloud computing, safety, and production efficiency 1 . Climate change, global population growth, high levels of food loss and food waste, and the risk of new disease or pandemic outbreaks are examples of numerous challenges that are potential threats to future food sustainability and the security of the planet that urgently need to be addressed 2 .

The projected global population growth reaching 10 billion people by 2050 highlights the acute need for new evaluations of FST&E education system background to address mounting challenges and opportunities. The complexity and predicted immense size of future tasks call for new paradigms, an open innovation mentality, and a novel mindset promoting multidisciplinary collaborations and partnerships 3 .

Disruptions such as digital agriculture, the fourth industrial revolution (industry 4.0), food agility, big data, and AI have been utilized to characterize the changes in the way agro-food systems evolve and function, as well as in the approach they have been analyzed, measured, and monitored 4 . For instance, Wageningen University, one of the leading influential universities, has also taken an active strategy to align with the developments in IT and AI. Apart from the content-wise shift, skills such as critical thinking, creativity, and problem-solving are addressed by applying project-based evaluations 5 . The industrial revolution (industry 4.0) and moving to industry 5.0 include new enabling technologies (e.g., big data, IoT, cloud computing) besides AI, digital twins, machine learning, virtualization, and others 6 .

Food science and technology (FST) and especially food engineering (FE) in academia face diminishing funding for research, dwindling critical masses in faculties (particularly at universities in the USA), decreasing student enrollment 7 and impacting future cooperative extension education and research needs 8 . This leads to the observation by some food-related education programs to be at a crossroads and the need to reassess their vision and expand the scope to grand societal drivers such as health and wellness (H&W), the mutual host and the microbiome considerations, food security and safety, population growth, aging, water and land scarcity, and environmental concerns 9 . Other reasons for integrating stakeholders outside the food manufacturing industry have been proposed 10 , 11 . Members of the FST&E professions request a broader and more applied education that offers better opportunities for entrepreneurship 12 .

FST&E professions are witnessing significant challenges as well as changes imposed by the accelerated rate of change and digital transformation. The expected changes will most probably affect FST&E education as already projected previously 7 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 . This forward-looking, combined with the radical changes witnessed during and post-COVID-19, calls for a change in traditional education and curricula paradigms. For instance, the new vision deploys concepts of FST&E in the context of sustainable food processes, products for changing lifestyles and beliefs, innovation for H&W, and novel methodologies that suit audiences of the digital age. Courses on entrepreneurship and innovation, novel education methods, and enforcing quality standards and certification have been also proposed for Europe 14 .

Engineering education is also experiencing dramatic changes. The traditional teaching model, where students are passive in the lecture room, gives way to more active, student-centered, and participatory approaches. Different modern education and learning techniques, such as blended and flip-classroom, active learning, use of technology in teaching, universal design, and student-centered education approach, among others, were previously reported 10 . For instance, active learning utilizing a teaching app called TopHat ( https://tophat.com/ ) to administer a daily quiz, encouraged group work and discussion, and peer evaluation was also reported 16 .

Active engineering learning promotes the acquisition of knowledge and essential soft skills such as teamwork, problem-solving abilities, and entrepreneurial mindsets 17 . It also encourages the utilization of digital technologies such as simulation software and virtual laboratories 17 . It is worth noting the pioneering virtual experiments and laboratories in food science, technology processing, and engineering area 18 .

Among novel methodologies suggested for engineering education are project-based learning, hybrid learning, the flipped classroom, and design thinking 10 , 19 , 20 , 21 .

The role of the food industry and other related sectors in contributing to and assisting educational institutions in designing curricula that provide the skills demanded by the job market was highlighted recently. It emphasized that current Bachelor´s and Master´s degrees follow programs that attempt to offer a practical perspective but still focus on the academic point of view. To bridge the gap between academia and industry, the University Extension Diploma in Food Technology (DEUTA) deepens into the food sector, seeking professional qualifications for participants. This is achieved by both first-hand know-how of food sector professionals and academics, along with an internship period in a food company. Collaborative courses strengthen academia-industry bonds, and employability is boosted thanks to internships and the network created 22 .

Innovation and entrepreneurship are key factors to provide added value for food systems. Based on the findings of the Erasmus+ Strategic Partnership BoostEdu ( https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/ assessed May 16, 2023), three knowledge gaps were reported: (1) identify the needs for innovation and entrepreneurship (I&E) in the food sector; (2) understanding the best way to organize learning; (3) providing flexibility in turbulent times. The results of the project, in particular during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighted the need for flexible access to modules that are complementary to other sources and based on a mix of theoretical concepts and practical experiences. The main lessons learned concern the need for co-creation and co-learning processes to identify suitable practices for the use of innovative digital technologies 23 . However, there are experts objecting to entrepreneurship courses being a subject of FST&E curricula or that the curricula should be supported with outside presentations or invited talks on this topic. This contrary position could be probably explained by the contrast between academia and more applied and industrial occupations. As the vast majority of the FST&E graduates are employed in various businesses where innovation and startup activities are becoming essential, entrepreneurship aspects should be considered in future education.

New platforms, such as massive open online courses (MOOCs), webinars, blogs, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, have opened up new spaces for disseminating ideas, experiences, and training in food-related matters 24 . Online and open learning permits access anytime and anywhere to formal classes, education modules on specific topics, and informal discussion sites 24 . Thus effectively democratizing learning, disseminating knowledge to vast audiences, and coping with the educational demands during the COVID-19 pandemic 25 .

The overall objectives of this study were: 1. Assessing the current status of FST&E education by using a computerized global survey; 2. Identifying current challenges and opportunities; and 3. Suggest recommendations (if needed) for additional directions and topics for future curricula.

Results and discussion

Respondents.

The total number of respondents that started the questionnaire was 1022. Of these, 703 (68.8%) respondents (the panel) completed the survey. Data from respondents who failed to address all questions and had several missing values were omitted, as they ignored or preferred not to answer some of the questions. The relatively high number of excluded respondents was probably due to the language barrier. Although not explicitly asked, based on respondents’ IP addresses, 88 countries participated in the survey. The overall time for completing the survey was approximately 10–12 min.

Demographics and geographic distribution

Demographic data are presented in Table 1 . The panel was evenly distributed: gender (female/male 1.15:1.00), age (excluding the 18–25 years group, 7.5%). Age distribution indicates good participation of the various groups and experiences.

The geographical location of the respondents indicates a global representation, although some regions were more prevalent by the panel. Respondents from China, the Far East (excluding China), and Oceania also participated, but their overall percentage was relatively low (combined value of 4.4%). However, combining Asia and the Middle East respondents resulted in a significant representation (16.5%). The surprising outcome was the high number of African respondents (14.8), probably due to the good network of IUFoST contacts in Africa. Although participation was quite impressive in terms of global feedback (88 countries), the number of respondents in a specific region was quite low in some cases, and consolidation was necessary for further analysis. Nevertheless, the widespread number of respondents from a wide spectrum of countries demonstrated that the survey had a global distribution, offering a significant improvement compared with a previous study 15 .

Main professional activities and education

The panel (703 respondents) professions consisted of food scientists and technologists (FSTs) 398 (56.6%), food engineers (FEs) 120 (17.1%), microbiologists (HMs) 25 (3.6%), nutritionists (HNs) 35 (5.0%), chemical engineers (CEs) 19 (2.7%), bioengineering/biotechnology (BBs) 7 (1.0%), business/marketing (BMs) 14 (2.0%), consultants (COs) 41 (5.8%), and others (food trade company, regulators, etc.) 41 (5.8%). As 73.7% of the respondents were FSTs and FEs, students, and graduates, the data reflect professional positions within FST&E disciplines, as was also previously shown 15 .

The respondents were also asked to fill in all their degrees in the various education categories using up to 4 options (student, BSc/1st Degree, MSc/equivalent, and Ph.D./DSc). Fig. 1 highlights the panel degrees distribution. The relatively high number of doctoral (Ph.D./DSc, 464, 29.9%) is not surprising considering the academic affiliation of most of the respondents (see Section “Affiliation”). It should be noted that many of the respondents hold more than one degree, explaining the high number of overall degrees of the panel (1550), as also depicted in Fig. 1 .

Overall degrees distribution (small insert).

Affiliation

The combined high majority of the respondents affiliated with educational and private research institutes (71.7%) provides a possible explanation for the extra number of doctoral degrees in the panel. Conversely, based on the respondents in the age group 41–55 and above 55 (37.8 and 28.7%, respectively) and the fact that a high percentage of the majority of the respondents hold a doctoral degree, the data are likely to reflect professional middle to high management levels and leadership positions within educational, institutions and possibly in the food industry. It should be noted that the number of respondents from industrial affiliation (food industry, food service, startups/FoodTech, and consultants, excluding government) was quite high (18.2%), probably projecting that although academia and industry are not equally represented, industrial affiliations are well represented (i.e., 128 responders).

Topics affecting the future of the professional domain curricula

The importance of 10 topics to be included in developing future curricula using the Likert-type scale 26 was evaluated. The topics listed included post-COVID-2019 considerations and several other new concepts. Table 2 shows that 7 topics were evaluated above 4.0 (‘High’) based on the calculated Likert-type scores average. The highest average scores were: ‘Critical thinking’ (4.50), followed by ‘Problem-solving projects’ (4.44), ‘Teamwork/collaboration’ (4.31), ´Innovation/Open innovation’ (4.29), and ‘Multidisciplinary’ (4.24). These data highlight possible changes that the FST&E domains anticipate in the post-COVID-19 and remote or hybrid education/learning, as well as the further proliferation of innovation and OI.

It is important to note that business-related topics were evaluated as less important, with Likert-type scores averaging below 4.0. These included: ‘Soft skills’ (3.90), followed by ‘Entrepreneurship’ (3.77), and ‘Business creation/networking’ (3.70). ‘Entrepreneurship’ and ‘Business creation/network’ could bring many benefits, such as fostering innovation, productivity, competitiveness, new business, OI, and socioeconomic development. Yet, these topics were considered among those of less importance, probably indicating that the panel was less oriented to business-related topics.

The search for professionals with different skills to overcome the current and foreseen challenges relevant to the agri-food sector was previously studied 25 . It was shown that problem-based learning (PBL), described as an instructional approach, promotes interdisciplinary and critical thinking with the potential to meet current challenges. PBL, aligned with an innovation program and contest, integrated into a master’s degree in FE to promote academic entrepreneurship, allowed the development of innovative products intending to solve problems faced by the agri-food sector 27 . The latter information supports the current survey data that show that the highest perceived topics were ‘Critical thinking’ (4.50) and ‘Problem-solving projects’ (4.44). On the other hand, the relatively low perceived importance of entrepreneurship (3.77 ranked #9) could indicate that FSs, FTs, or FEs are currently considering business-related topics as a lower priority. Nevertheless, their Likert average scores were approaching ‘High’. It is important to note that promoting project-based learning by students on developing eco-designed business models and eco-innovated food products seems to be an essential lever for the sustainability transition 10 . Although this is just one example, it highlights the importance of project-based learning 27 , 28 , 29 .

Project-based learning is an integrated part of the flipped classroom (FC) model, based on active learning, and consequently attracts much interest. The FC is a form of blended learning (BL) that reorganizes the workload in and outside the classroom and requires the active participation of students in learning activities before and during face-to-face lessons with teachers 10 , 30 . The FC model has been applied since the 1990s to encourage student preparation before classes: team-based learning, peer or mentor instruction, and just-in-time education, where the teaching information is communicated via electronic means. This allows more class time to be devoted to active learning and formative assessment 31 . A recent study highlighted a case study where an elective FC course on engineering, science, and gastronomy was implemented for undergraduate students that included in-class demonstrations by chefs. New education methodologies call for expanded computational abilities, ample access to online content, active learning, and student-centered approaches 10 .

A comparison between traditional project-based learning and hybrid project-based learning indicated a significant increase in fundamental formative knowledge, enhanced problem-solving abilities, and production of better-performing artifacts regarding the set of design skills for students undergoing hybrid project-based learning 28 .

In light of the feedback by the panel indicating that ‘Critical thinking development’ and ‘Problem-solving projects’ were the highest outcome (#1 and #2, respectively), combined with recent reports on the FC importance, it could be concluded that seeking new directions in learning/facilitating strategies that complement existing methods in order to enrich the learning experience of students is recommended.

Academic partnership/collaboration

The respondents were instructed to rank (from 1 to 5, corresponding to high to low; each rank could appear only once) the importance of partnership(s) and/or collaboration(s) with: ‘Food Industry´, ‘Nutrition sciences’, ‘Government, policymakers and/or local authorities’, ‘Private sector’, and ‘Other academic disciplines’. The ranking distribution is depicted in Fig. 2 .

Ranking importance (‘Very high’, ‘High’, ‘Medium’, ‘Low’, ‘Very low’) distribution of ‘Academic partnerships/collaborations’.

Collaboration with the ‘Food industry’ was ranked the highest, while the collaboration with ‘Other academic programs’ was ranked lower. Furthermore, the top two rankings (‘Very high’ and ‘High’) were ‘Food industry’ (53%), ‘Nutrition’ (38%), ‘Government’ (36%), ‘Private institutes (35%) and ‘Other academic programs’ (33%).

Collaboration with the nutrition sector was highly ranked. This demonstrates that the panel considered collaboration between FST&E and nutrition highly important and is a direction that these domains should consider closely. The need to enhance and probably integrate or converge nutrition sciences and FST&E is underscored due to the lack of present collaboration and the growing consumers’ awareness of H&W and food processing.

The role of the food industry as a key player in academic partnership and collaboration should be considered, particularly due to the negative aspects suggested by the NOVA ultra-food processes food classification. For instance, “ By design, these products are highly palatable, cheap, ubiquitous, and contain preservatives that offer a long shelf life. These features, combined with aggressive industry marketing strategies, contribute to excessive consumption and make these products highly profitable for the food, beverage, and restaurant industry sectors that are dominant actors in the global food system ” 32 . This study demonstrates that the food industry plays significant positive roles in both collaboration and partnerships. It also plays a key part in internships described below (Section “Internships”).

Topics importance to FST&E

The importance of 11 topics for FST&E was assessed as listed in Table 3 .

The data exposed 5 top important topics to FST&E. The topic of highest interest was ‘Sustainability, circular economy, and food waste management,’ followed by ‘Innovation/open innovation’ and ‘New product development’ (no statistically significant difference between these topics), ‘Consumer perception & trust’ and ‘Nutrition sciences’ that were statistically different from the first two topics (one-way ANOVA with post-hoc LSD test, p  <0.05), respectively. Worth noting the significant differences between FSTs and FEs in ‘Sustainability, circular economy, and food waste management’, ‘New product development’, ‘Consumer perception & trust’, and ‘Nutrition Sciences’, where FSTs significantly assigned higher importance to these topics in comparison with FEs. However, no significant difference was found for ‘Innovation/open innovation’.

‘Artificial Intelligence, machine learning’ was only ordered as #9 based on the Likert-type scores averages, and FEs considered it significantly higher than FSTs. It is safe to predict that the importance of AI will increase in the coming years once more and more applications and utilizations will emerge. Suffice to consider recent applications and the global AI market size growth from $65.48 billion in 2020, projected to reach $1581.70 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 38.0% from 2021 to 2030 ( https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/artificial-intelligence-market ).

Importance to FST&E curricula to meet future challenges and learning opportunities

The importance of the curricula in meeting FST&E future challenges and learning opportunities (in descending order) is highlighted in Table 4 .

Table 4 shows five topics were considered to be of ‘Very high’ to ‘High’ importance: ‘Research project(s)’ (4.34), ‘Apprenticeships (e.g., industrial training)’ (4.28), ‘Adaptability (e.g., adjusting to change in real-time, managing biases, overcome challenges)’ (4.22), ‘Revision current programs’ (4.16), and ‘Employability’ (4.13). The other topics received lower scores.

The significant difference between FSTs and FEs on ‘Research project(s)’, ‘Enhanced integration with nutrition’, and ‘Soft (life) skills’ is worth noting. On these topics, except for ‘Enhanced integration with nutrition’, FSTs scores were significantly higher when compared with FEs. The ´Enhanced integration with nutrition´ by both FSTs and FEs was ‘High’ (4.00) and above, projecting the absolute need for FST&E to enhance its collaboration with nutrition, mainly due to the high importance of H&W and its significant role.

Adaptability is the potential to adjust and learn new skills in response to changing factors, conditions, cultures, and environments. It is a soft skill that both colleagues and superiors highly value. In the ever-changing needs and progress, businesses and employees must adapt quickly to unforeseen dynamic circumstances, innovation, and disruption. Adaptability means being flexible, innovative, open, and resilient, particularly under unforeseen conditions. Some key elements of being adaptable are confident but open to criticism, focusing on solutions rather than problems, collaborating with others, and learning from them ( https://www.walkme.com/glossary/adaptability/ ). For instance, the a daptability of FST developments implies a capacity to continuously change and improve its operations and food quality output in time and space 33 . This explains the #3 place the panel considered adaptability.

The panel perceived both ‘Revision of current programs’ and ‘Employability’ as high priority (#4 and #5, average of 4.16 and 4.13, respectively). These assessments should be considered carefully by academic programs in order to adapt to the fast changes driven by innovation, disruption, and digital progress.

‘Enhanced integration with nutrition’ came in #6. However, FSTs and FEs indicated this topic is highly important (average of 4.00 and 4.21, respectively). Hence, FST&E education programs should seek avenues to enhance integration with nutrition science. Possible collaborations should consider joint research programs and other partnerships and alliances.

‘Business-related activities (e.g., creation, network, partnerships, collaboration)’ and ‘Soft (life) skills’ were #7–8. Nevertheless, their Likert-type average values were close to ‘High’. Hybrid teaching was perceived as the last (3.78). Apparently, this type of education is not very appealing. Yet, this should be reassessed after the Covid-19 pandemic has passed.

Engineering education is also experiencing dramatic changes. The traditional teaching model, where students are passive in the lecture room, gives way to more active, student-centered, and participatory approaches. Different modern education and learning techniques, such as blended and flip-classroom, active learning, use of technology in teaching, universal design, and student-centered education approach, among others, were previously reported 9 . Hence, it is expected that Hybrid teaching and other advanced methods, including AI, will flourish soon and will become the norm.

Internships

The importance of internship to FST&E students was evaluated considering 5 possibilities: ‘Academic internship,’ ‘Food industry internship,’ ‘Start-up/FoodTech company internship,’ ‘Other domains/industries,’ and ‘Internship in other countries.’ The data are depicted in Fig. 3 .

Likert-type averages (1–5 scale) and one side (-) SD of internships importance for FST&E (values with different small letters indicate significant differences between groups; one-way ANOVA with post-hoc LSD test, p  < 0.05).

The internship was categorized into three statistically different groups (one-way ANOVA with post-hoc LSD test, p  < 0.05). The first group was internships in ‘Food Industry’ (4.60), followed by the second group: ‘Start-ups/Food Tech’ (4.04), ‘Other countries’ (3.98), and ‘Academia’ (3.96), and the third group ‘Others domains/industries’ (3.46). Comparing the difference between FSTs and FEs, respondents showed a significant difference (one-way ANOVA with post-hoc LSD test, p  < 0.05) for internships in ‘Food Industry’ (4.65 and 4.52), ‘Start-ups/Food Tech’ (4.11 and 3.89) and ‘Other domains/industries’ (3.46 and 3.26), respectively. It is not surprising that FSTs have consistently assigned higher values to internships, probably due to the possibility that they are more complimentary to hands-on experiences.

Bridging the academia-industry gap in the food sector through collaborative courses and internships was recently studied. More than fifteen years of university extension diplomas in food technology Diplomas demonstrated how collaborative courses strengthen academia-industry bonds, and employability was boosted thanks to internships and the network created 22 . Internships could support students in developing their identity, which is achieved by close contact with their future working tasks 34 , enhancing familiarity with and nearness to their future profession 35 and industry-based projects and governance 36 . Also, student projects in collaboration with the industry make the students face a reality 37 . In light of these benefits, it is clear why the internship in the food industry received such a high Likert-type average. This very high importance given by the panel to industry internships coincides with their ranking, as aforementioned in the previous section, highlighting the core role of the food industry in students’ education.

Professional organization impact on FST&E education

The impact of professional organizations on food science/food technology/food engineering education, as well as strategy and vision data, are depicted in Fig. 4 .

Likert-type averages (1–5 scale) and one side (-) SD of organization/vision impact on FST&E education (values with different letters indicated significant differences between groups; one-way ANOVA with post-hoc LSD test, p  < 0.05).

Data analysis ( t -test) of the impact of the various organizations or vision and strategy on education revealed that the statistically highest Likert-type average scores (one-way ANOVA with post-hoc LSD test, p  < 0.05) were given to the ‘Food industry’ (3.86). ‘IFT (Institute of Food Technologists)’ was in the 2nd statistical group (3.70), followed by the 3rd statistical group that included ‘IUFoST (International Union of Food Science & Technology)’ (3.49), ‘Vision, strategy & leadership of the university’ (3.49), ‘IFST (Institute of Food Science+Technology)’ (3.44), and ‘Government, public interest & support’ (3.42). ‘EFFoST (The European Federation of Food Science and Technology)’ (3.40) was between the 3rd and the 4th group that included ‘ISEKI-Food (European Association for Integrating Food Science and Engineering Into the Food Chain),’(3.27). ‘SoFE (Society of Food Engineering)’ (2.96) was the next statistical group, and the last 6th group was ‘Others’ (2.65).

It is quite surprising that the food industry obtained such a high perceived impact on education, especially because the number of respondents in the panel affiliated with academic and educational institutes was high (69.6%). This could be explained by the fact that most curricula are designed to align with the industrial requirement and/or the need to provide students with the essential tools for the food industry. As no in-depth interviews were conducted, these findings warrant additional consideration.

IFT was in second place, significantly affecting FST&E education. In light of the quite low number of respondents from North America and Canada (13.1%), this finding clearly projects the significant role IFT has in impacting global education and proliferation. The 3rd group included IUFoST, IFST (international and mainly UK organizations, respectively), ‘Vision, strategy & leadership of the university’ and ‘Government, public interest & support´. These different groups and elements were perceived as very important and apparently have a significant role in contributing to the education program. EFFoST was categorized between the 3rd and 4th groups, including ISEKI-Food (3.27). These organizations were perceived as lower compared with the previous organizations. SoFE was classified only in the 5th significantly different group. As SoFE appeals mainly to FEs, many panelists were probably unfamiliar with its activities.

Education impact on professional expectations

The impact of the respondents’ education curricula on their professional success, satisfaction, and meeting expectations data is depicted in Fig. 5 .

Likert-type averages (1–5 scale) and one side (-) SD of ‘Success’, ‘Satisfaction’, and ‘Meeting expectations’ (values with different letters indicated significant differences between groups; one-way ANOVA with post-hoc LSD test, p  < 0.05).

Education curricula showed two different statistical (one-way ANOVA with post-hoc LSD test, p  < 0.05) groups. The first group included ‘Success’ (4.03) and ‘Satisfaction’ (3.95). The second statistical group that was quite lower evaluated was ‘Meeting expectations’ (3.76). This finding could open new avenues for education institutes to conduct in-depth assessments of their alumni and graduates, focusing on improving their performances in order to better meet their graduates’ future expectations. This study also provides insights into new education and learning opportunities and new topics to be included in future curricula.

When comparing FSTs with FEs, it was quite surprising that FSTs consistently rated all three attributes lower than FEs. In two cases, these differences were even significant: ‘Success’ (4.07 vs. 4.15, one-way ANOVA with post-hoc LSD test, p  < 0.05), ‘Satisfaction’ (3.96 vs. 4.06), and ‘Meeting expectation’ (3.78 vs. 3.83, one-way ANOVA with post-hoc LSD test, p  < 0.05). This lower assessment by FSTs highlights that the potential for curriculum improvements is high, and an in-depth evaluation should open new avenues for significant improvements.

In conclusion, these main points are highlighted:

Seven topics affecting the future of the profession domain curricula were evaluated between ‘High’ to ‘Very high’. The highest scores were found for: ‘Critical thinking’, followed by ‘Problem-solving projects,’ ‘Teamwork/collaboration’, ‘Innovation/Open innovation’, and ‘Multidisciplinary’.

The importance of Academic partnership/collaboration showed that ‘Food industry’, and ‘Nutrition’ were ranked the highest.

Significant positive roles of the food industry in collaboration and partnerships with the FST&E domain were demonstrated. Significant findings were also related to internships, education, strategy, and vision effects of the food industry.

Collaboration between FST&E and nutrition sciences indicated its high importance. Integrating or converging nutrition science and FST&E is emphasized based on the lack of actual present collaborations.

Assessing the education curricula contribution showed two statistical groups. The first group included ‘Success’ and ‘Satisfaction’. ‘Meeting expectations’ was the second. New avenues to better meet future graduates’ and students’ expectations were identified.

Insights into novel education and learning opportunities and new topics to be included in future curricula have been identified.

The approach employed encompassed a structured questionnaire, adopting a methodology akin to the one described earlier 12 , 15 . The questionnaire is provided in the Supplementary information data file. The online questionnaire survey utilized the Qualtrics© software ( https://www.qualtrics.com/ ) and targeted global professionals (including students) across the food sector and nutrition. The key questions were formulated to capture the perspectives on professional values held by individuals in the studied fields. The initial questionnaire was pretested (these data were not utilized in the final analysis) using a pilot sample ( n  = 12) of selected food practitioners from academia and the food industry. This panel was selected based on previous personal and professional interactions. The pilot was employed to ensure the questionnaire’s consistency and to seek suggestions on additional topics that should be incorporated into the revised survey.

The link of the webpage of the questionnaire was distributed by e-mails of numerous organizations (e.g., IUFoST, ISEKI-Food Association, SoFE, IFT) and food practitioners globally. The survey was conducted in English, avoiding any possible language ambiguities. It was completely anonymous and was open from the end of May until the end of July 2022. Both mobile and computerized feedback was offered.

A 5-point Likert-type scale 26 was applied and consisted of 1 (‘Very low’), 2 (‘Low’), 3 (‘Medium’), 4 (‘High’), and 5 (‘Very high’). For comparisons, the Likert-type scale assessments were transformed into a calculated average. The Likert-type scale is widely employed as a fundamental and commonly utilized psychometric instrument in educational and social sciences research, marketing research, customer satisfaction studies, opinion surveys, and numerous other fields. One topic included ranking (from 1 to 5; each rank could appear only once).

Apart from the professional questions, the survey included demographic information such as gender, age group, location where the most advanced degree was obtained, or current place for study according to the following geographic categories: Western Europe, Eastern Europe, UK, North America including Canada, Mexico, South America, Asia/Middle East, China, Far East (excluding China), Oceania (Australia, New Zealand), and Africa. The questionnaire ended with an open-ended question asking for the interview’s possible suggestions for curriculum improvements. The data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel© spreadsheet (Redmont, Washington), JASP software (ver. 0.16.4, https://jasp-stats.org/ ), and IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows (version 28; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York). For significant differences ( p  < 0.05) among groups, one-way ANOVA with a post-hoc least significant difference (LSD) test was performed. A two-sided t -test was utilized to identify significant differences ( p  < 0.05) between the averages of the two groups.

The survey was written according to the authorization from the Committee for the Use of Human Subjects in Research through The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem (file: AGHS/01.15) as outlined previously 12 . Before starting the study, the participants were informed that the responses were completely anonymous. Also, before starting the questionnaire, the consent of the participants was requested, and only those who agreed were able to start the study.

Reporting summary

Further information on research design is available in the Nature Research Reporting Summary linked to this article.

Data availability

The dataset obtained and analyzed during the current study is available from Prof. Eli Cohen upon request.

Change history

13 february 2024.

A Correction to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41538-024-00256-z

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the contribution of IUFoST (International Union of Food Science & Technology), mainly to WG 1.2 ‘Emerging Issues, Key Focus Areas´ working group members, for pretesting, distributing, and spreading the survey. The author, C.L.M. Silva, would like to acknowledge the support by National Funds from FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia through project UIDB/50016/2020.

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I.S.S., C.L.M.S., and E.C. conceived and developed the questionnaire. E.C. data curation. E.C. and I.S.S. performed the validation and formal statistical analysis. I.S.S. and E.C. conducted the investigation and wrote the paper. C.L.M.S. provided expertize, feedback, and paper revision–supervision and project administration by I.S.S.

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Correspondence to I. S. Saguy .

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Saguy, I.S., Silva, C.L.M. & Cohen, E. Emerging challenges and opportunities in innovating food science technology and engineering education. npj Sci Food 8 , 5 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41538-023-00243-w

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1038/s41538-023-00243-w

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Food Science and Technology International (FSTI) is a highly ranked, peer-reviewed scholarly journal publishing high-quality articles by leading researchers of food science and technology, covering:

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This journal is a member of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) .  

Food Science and Technology International (FSTI) is a highly ranked, peer reviewed scholarly journal publishing high-quality articles by leading researchers of food science and technology, covering:

Published with additional features such as critical reviews, brief scientific notes, that provide essential information from food scientists throughout the world.

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Please read the guidelines below then visit the Journal’s submission site http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/fsti to upload your manuscript. Please note that manuscripts not conforming to these guidelines may be returned .

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1.1 Aims & Scope

Before submitting your manuscript to Food Science and Technology International , please ensure you have read the Aims & Scope .

Published six times a year,  Food Science and Technology International   is a highly ranked, peer reviewed scholarly journal publishing high-quality articles by leading researchers of food science and technology, covering:

food processing engineering · composition · safety · nutritional quality · biotechnology · quality · physical properties · microstructure · microbiology · packaging · sensory analysis, bioprocessing · postharvest technology

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The Sage Author Gateway has some general advice and on  how to get published, plus links to further resources. Sage Author Services also offers authors a variety of ways to improve and enhance their article including English language editing, plagiarism detection, and video abstract and infographic preparation.

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Please ensure that a ‘Declaration of Conflicting Interests’ statement is included at the end of your manuscript, after any acknowledgements and prior to the references. If no conflict exists, please state that ‘The Author(s) declare(s) that there is no conflict of interest’. For guidance on conflict of interest statements, please see the ICMJE recommendations here .

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Medical research involving human subjects must be conducted according to the  World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki .

Submitted manuscripts should conform to the ICMJE Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly Work in Medical Journals , and all papers reporting animal and/or human studies must state in the methods section that the relevant Ethics Committee or Institutional Review Board provided (or waived) approval. Please ensure that you have provided the full name and institution of the review committee, in addition to the approval number.

For research articles, authors are also required to state in the methods section whether participants provided informed consent and whether the consent was written or verbal.

Information on informed consent to report individual cases or case series should be included in the manuscript text. A statement is required regarding whether written informed consent for patient information and images to be published was provided by the patient(s) or a legally authorized representative.

Please also refer to the  ICMJE Recommendations for the Protection of Research Participants .

All research involving animals submitted for publication must be approved by an ethics committee with oversight of the facility in which the studies were conducted. The Journal has adopted the ARRIVE guidelines .

2.7 Clinical trials

Food Science and Technology International conforms to the ICMJE requirement  that clinical trials are registered in a WHO-approved public trials registry at or before the time of first patient enrolment as a condition of consideration for publication. The trial registry name and URL, and registration number must be included at the end of the abstract.

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The relevant EQUATOR Network  reporting guidelines should be followed depending on the type of study. For example, all randomized controlled trials submitted for publication should include a completed CONSORT flow chart as a cited figure and the completed CONSORT checklist should be uploaded with your submission as a supplementary file. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses should include the completed PRISMA  flow chart as a cited figure and the completed PRISMA checklist should be uploaded with your submission as a supplementary file. The EQUATOR wizard  can help you identify the appropriate guideline.

Other resources can be found at  NLM’s Research Reporting Guidelines and Initiatives .

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Food Science and Technology International requests all authors submitting any primary data used in their research articles to be published in the online version of the journal, or provide detailed information in their articles on how the data can be obtained. This information should include links to third-party data repositories or detailed contact information for third-party data sources. Data available only on an author-maintained website will need to be loaded onto either the journal’s platform or a third-party platform to ensure continuing accessibility.

Examples of data types include but are not limited to statistical data files, replication code, text files, audio files, images, videos, appendices, and additional charts and graphs necessary to understand the original research. The editor may consider limited embargoes on proprietary data. The editor can also grant exceptions for data that cannot legally or ethically be released. All data submitted should comply with Institutional or Ethical Review Board requirements and applicable government regulations. For further information, please contact the editorial office at [email protected] .

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Sage is committed to upholding the integrity of the academic record. We encourage authors to refer to the Committee on Publication Ethics’  International Standards for Authors  and view the Publication Ethics page on the  Sage Author Gateway .

3.1.1 Plagiarism

Food Science and Technology International and Sage take issues of copyright infringement, plagiarism or other breaches of best practice in publication very seriously. We seek to protect the rights of our authors and we always investigate claims of plagiarism or misuse of published articles. Equally, we seek to protect the reputation of the journal against malpractice. Submitted articles may be checked with duplication-checking software. Where an article, for example, is found to have plagiarised other work or included third-party copyright material without permission or with insufficient acknowledgement, or where the authorship of the article is contested, we reserve the right to take action including, but not limited to: publishing an erratum or corrigendum (correction); retracting the article; taking up the matter with the head of department or dean of the author's institution and/or relevant academic bodies or societies; or taking appropriate legal action.

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3.3 Open access and author archiving

Food Science and Technology International  offers optional open access publishing via the Sage Choice programme and Open Access agreements, where authors can publish open access either discounted or free of charge depending on the agreement with Sage. Find out if your institution is participating by visiting Open Access Agreements at Sage . For more information on Open Access publishing options at Sage please visit Sage Open Access . For information on funding body compliance, and depositing your article in repositories, please visit Sage’s Author Archiving and Re-Use Guidelines and Publishing Policies .

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Any correspondence, queries or additional requests for information on the manuscript submission process should be sent to the Food Science and Technology International editorial office as follows:

US/Canada Gustavo V. Barbosa-Canovas, Washington State University Food Engineering Program, Pullman, WA 99164-6120, USA. Email: [email protected]

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Journal of Food Science and Technology

The Journal of Food Science and Technology (JFST) is the official publication of the Association of Food Scientists and Technologists of India (AFSTI). This monthly publishes peer-reviewed research papers and reviews in all branches of science, technology, packaging and engineering of foods and food products. Special emphasis is given to fundamental and applied research findings that have potential for enhancing product quality, extend shelf life of fresh and processed food products and improve process efficiency. Critical reviews on new perspectives in food handling and processing, innovative and emerging technologies and trends and future research in food products and food industry byproducts are also welcome. The journal also publishes book reviews relevant to all aspects of food science, technology and engineering.

Due to the overwhelming number of manuscripts coming to the journal, there could be a delay of 30 days in the first decision.

Latest issue

Volume 61, Issue 6

Latest articles

Discriminating three lab scale dark chocolate bars from fine cameroon cocoa hybrids using sensorial evaluation and organic acid content.

• Simon Perrez Akoa
• Renaud Boulanger
• Pierre François Djocgoue

Review of history and mechanisms of action of lactulose (4-O-β-D-Galactopyranosyl-β-D-fructofuranose): present and future applications in food

• Ruža Pandel Mikuš
• Blaž Ferjančič

Optimization of vacuum impregnated nutmeg rind candy using RSM modeling: effect on functional and nutritional properties

• E. Jayashree

Influence of combination treatment with natural colorant and additives on the physicochemical properties of emulsified pork sausages during storage

• Sang-Keun Jin
• Seung Yun Lee

Development of biocomposite films incorporated with the extract from pitcher associated bacteria for the postharvest protection from fungi

• E. K. Radhakrishnan

Journal updates

Biotechnology for resource efficiency, energy, environment, chemicals and health (breeech-2021), special issue 2024: international conference on new horizons in bioengineering: fostering academia-industry partnership (icb-2024).

Guest Editors 

Dr. G. Nagamaniammai,   B.E, M. Tech, Ph. D Associate Professor Department Food Process Engineering School of Bioengineering, College of Engineering and Technology SRM Institute of Science and Technology Kattankulathur- 603203 Chengalpattu (Dt) Tamil Nadu, India  Mail.Id:[email protected] and [email protected] 

Dr. P. Gurumoorthi Ph.D., FISAB. HoD (i/c), Department of Food and Process Engineering Faculty of Engineering and Technology SRM Institute of Science and Technology Kattankulathur- -603 203, Chengalpattu Dt. Tamil Nadu

Acceptance of Papers from Conference: 25th Feb 2024 to 30th Apr 2024

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The Food Sciences and Technology Cluster is working on the challenge of converting the world’s harvests into safe, healthy and good food for our changing global population. Now and for the decades ahead in the entire food system. The Food Sciences and Technology research unit incorporates two major mutually linked and multidisciplinary lines of research.

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Food Science and Technology

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Food Science and Technology is an international peer-reviewed journal that publishes original and high-quality research papers in all areas of food science. As an important academic exchange platform, scientists and researchers can know the most up-to-date academic trends and seek valuable primary sources for reference.

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Research and Innovation in Food Science and Technology

The Research and Innovation in Food Science and Technology (JRIFST)  is a scientific ranked, peer-reviewed journal, publishing new development in Food Science & Technology. The work submitted should be innovative and practical either in the approach or in the methods used. Original research articles as well as review articles as they relate to Food Science & Technology are welcomed.

• Journal: Research and Innovation in Food Science and Technology
• Publisher : Research Institute of Food Science and Technology
• Research and Innovation in Food Science and Technology (JRIFST) will be   published with the cooperation of Iranian Probiotics and Functional Foods Society as of winter 2021.
• Ethics in Publishing : This journal is following of Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE) and complies with the highest ethical standards in accordance with ethical laws.
• License:  Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC-BY 4.0)
• Open Access: Articles are freely available.
• Scientific Rank: The journal was rated as “ International ”, having been assessed by Commission Reviewing  Scientific Journals affiliated with the Ministry of Science, Research and Technology.
• Impact Factor: 0.125 (Q3) base on Islamic World Science Citation Center (ISC).
• Types of Papers : Research,  Review and Short Research Papers.
• Language : English
• The process of submission and reviewing of the manuscripts has been thoroughly carried out by the Journal Management System (Powered by Sinaweb) since 2018.
• Publication Cost : The cost of editing and page layout will be charged after the reviewing process and the issuance of “Certificate of Acceptance ”, (full Research and Review: 8,000,000 Rials and Short Research: 5,000,000 Rials).
• Authors coming from countries other than the Islamic Republic of Iran,  no cost is charged for the publication of their paper.
• Time of  Pre-screening  of manuscript is 10 days.
• Time Period of Review is 2 to 4 months.
• Full Peer Review: All manuscripts submitted to the journal undergo anonymous peer review at least by 3 referees (Double blind peer review).
• In order to promote quality and to protect intellectual property and rights of researchers and authors the " iThentictae " software are used for English articles, respectively.
• The journal has already received the initial approval of such international data bases as EBSCO   and CABI   to be indexed by them.

Seeking further information contact: +98 9366705437

International authors are kindly required to contact +98 9363317957 on  Telegram.

Most Visited Articles

• The Effect of Cold Plasma on the Enzymatic Activity and Quality Characteristics of Mango Pulp
• The Mechanical, Rheological and Release Properties of Riboflavin and Biotin Encapsulated Alginate-whey Protein Micro-Gels
• The Effect of Various Levels of Xanthan/Guar Gum and Chubak Extract on Rheological, Thermal, Sensory and Microstructure of Gelatin Free Marshmallow
• Encapsulation of Lycopene by Using Basil Seed Gum/Polyvinyl Alcohol Nanofibers
• Evaluation of Microbial and Chemical Composition of Fermented Beverages Produced from Tiger nut ( Cyperus esculentus ) and Beetroot ( Beta vulgaris )

Current Issue: Volume 13, Issue 1, March 2024  

Estimation of fisetin in strawberry ( fragaria ananassa ) by uv-vis spectrophotometry.

10.22101/jrifst.2022.341609.1363

Subhadip Chakraborty; Nalanda Baby Revu; Gita Surisetty

• View Article
• PDF 450.4 K

Box-Wilson Design and Analysis for Extraction of Gelatin from Black Kingfish Skin

10.22101/jrifst.2022.360993.1391

Selvaraju Sivamani; Balakrishna Pillai Sankari Naveen Prasad; Azucena Cuento

• PDF 573.64 K

Development of Pastilles containing Fermented Garlic to Improve Acceptability and Health Benefits for the Elderly in a Post-Vaccination Program

Pages 11-16

10.22101/jrifst.2023.363603.1398

Annis Catur Adi; Heni Rachmawati; Emyr Reisha Ishaura; Farapti Farapti; Wizara Salisa; Mohammad Fahmi Rasyidi; Nuthathai Sutthiwong

• PDF 650.74 K

Kinetic modelling of Okra and Gracilaria corticata hydrocolloid mucilage polysaccharides

Pages 17-22

10.22101/jrifst.2023.349221.1378

Ramesh Subramani; Charumathi Pushparaj; Archana Ganesan

• PDF 587.53 K

Occurrence of Enterobacteriaceae in Raw Chicken Meat Samples with Identification of Salmonella enterica subsp. Diarizonae as the First Report in Iraq

Pages 23-26

10.22101/jrifst.2023.357467.1388

Ameer Salem Al-Esawi; Zeina Taleb Al-Salami; Salah Mahdi Al-Jannah; Khawlah Abdallah Salman

• PDF 715.23 K

Nutritional Profile, Antioxidant Capacity and Physicochemical Properties of Processed Labeo bata

Pages 27-36

10.22101/jrifst.2023.353563.1381

Kumarakuru K; Vasanthakumari Paarree; Sundar K; Javith Hussain A

• PDF 894.24 K

Effect of In ovo Injection of Flaxseed Oil on Broiler Breast Meat in Chicken Embryo Model: Meat Quality, Antioxidant Capacity and Fatty Acid Profile

Pages 37-42

10.22101/jrifst.2023.368949.1406

Sara Balvayeh; Razieh Partovi; Behrokh Marzban Abbasabadi; Shohreh Alian Samakkhah

• PDF 521.82 K

Physicochemical and Retrogradation Properties of Fermented Melinjo ( Gnetum gnemon ) Seed Flour

Pages 43-48

10.22101/jrifst.2023.374001.1415

Tri Ardyati; Keizo Hosokawa; Akihiro Ohara; Tri Agus Siswoyo

• PDF 698.31 K

ISO Abbreviation:

Res. Innovation Food Sci. Technol.

Facts & Figures

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These are the innovators driving impact in future food systems

Innovative technologies are transforming food systems to address global challenges. Image:  Unsplash/Artur Rutkowski

.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo{-webkit-transition:all 0.15s ease-out;transition:all 0.15s ease-out;cursor:pointer;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;outline:none;color:inherit;}.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo:hover,.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo[data-hover]{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo:focus,.chakra .wef-1c7l3mo[data-focus]{box-shadow:0 0 0 3px rgba(168,203,251,0.5);} Noopur Desai

• Innovative technologies are transforming food systems to address global challenges such as malnutrition, climate change and food waste as well as creating social and economic impacts.
• A sustainable and equitable food future will require collaboration among diverse stakeholders. The World Economic Forum’s UpLink and Food Innovation Hubs are examples of fostering cooperation among farmers, innovators, governments, and the private sector.
• Four innovators explain their vision for change and approach to using technologies to reimagine the future of food systems.

Limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius and transitioning the planet to an equitable climate and nature-positive future by 2050 will require systemic shifts in how food is produced and consumed.

With the current realities of the food systems, the fusion of innovation with purpose becomes not just a choice but a necessity.

Taking a solutions approach, new leaders are emerging in food systems, offering technologies and innovative models of engagement. The potential for innovation is game-changing – from digital services, climate-smart technologies, biologicals, artificial intelligence, earth observation, novel foods, precision nutrition and others.

Innovators will also see further gains as a global agri-tech market worth $20 billion is expected to surpass $40 billion by 2030. However, embracing these solutions at scale will require smart partnerships, customizing and co-design with farmers, governments and the private sector and mobilizing investment to allow for adoption and continuous innovation.

The World Economic Forum’s UpLink and Food Innovation Hubs Global Initiative platforms aim to drive cooperation and a global movement to deliver on the promise of innovation to the more than 8 billion people depending on sustainable and resilient food systems.

We asked four innovators about their vision for change and approach to using technologies to reimagine the future of food systems.

Have you read?

Leveraging technology and innovation to transform food systems, the global food system no longer meets our health needs. here are 4 changes that can help us to eat better food, 'food systems will contribute to job creation, gender equality and climate resilience and adaptation'.

Nidhi Pant, Co-Founder, S4S Technologies

Imagine a future where our food system is not only sustainable but also equitable. Picture a world where we address the pressing issue of increasing agricultural greenhouse gas emissions while ensuring that everyone has enough to eat. This is the vision driving S4S Technologies. We provide smallholder farmers with solar-powered food preservation and processing capabilities at the farm gate.

Our approach is simple yet transformative. We take cosmetically damaged produce, which would otherwise be wasted and turn it into valuable food ingredients using our solar-powered processing systems. By aggregating and processing this produce directly at the farm gate, we not only reduce food waste but also create economic opportunities for farmers.

One of the most rewarding aspects of our work is the impact we have on women farmers. By empowering them with our technology, we enable them to double their profits and break free from the cycle of poverty. Our solution isn't just about economic empowerment; it's about promoting gender equality and social inclusion in agriculture.

'Advances in AI and data analytics will empower farmers to precisely allocate resources, increasing yields while minimizing environmental impacts'

Taher Mestiri, Chairman, SEABEX

The future of food systems hinges on sustainable agricultural practices that effectively tackle the twin challenges of water scarcity and climate change. At the heart of this transformation are farmers, the backbones of agricultural value chains, who hold the key to securing food production while optimizing water usage.

The rapid advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and data analytics, can enable farmers to make more informed decisions in resource allocation, enhancing yields while minimizing environmental impacts. Seabex is inspired by this potential.

Seabex's system utilizes advanced algorithms to provide practical insights, reducing guesswork and improving efficiency in irrigation management. Our solution is characterized by highly scalable, sensorless technology, offering simplified irrigation management without requiring significant hardware investments.

'A major shift will change where and how food is grown and produced'

Bronte Weir, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Below Farm

Climate change is reshaping the landscapes and traditional farming practices we've long relied upon, while advancements in agricultural technology open new possibilities for food production. A major shift is coming to the balance of where and how food is grown and produced. At Below Farm, we are reimagining how we produce food in arid climates, by bringing mushrooms to the desert.

Mushrooms have a unique ability to support both human and planetary health. They can be cultivated following circular principles, upcycling by-products of other agricultural industries, without the need for pesticides or fertilizers, using relatively low water. Their reasonably high protein content plus their meaty texture and umami flavour, makes them a healthy meat alternative, as well as offering many, varied functional health benefits.

At Below Farm, we grow mushrooms in the desert in a first-of-its-kind in the region in a climate-controlled mycelium lab using only local materials. Until recently, the only mushroom you could find in a United Arab Emirates (UAE) supermarket was a white button mushroom.

But reducing the vast fungi kingdom and all of the edible mushrooms within it to just that one is equivalent to taking the animal kingdom and all the meat that comes from it and just eating chicken. There is a huge range of diversity in flavour, texture, preparations and health benefits. We saw an opportunity to establish the region’s first localized mushroom farm: from seed to fruit.

'In the future, agriculture will thrive through regenerative practices, embracing fewer chemicals for a healthier, more sustainable tomorrow'

Matias Figliozzi, Economist, Co-Founder and CEO, Unibaio

In envisioning future food systems, it's vital to confront a reality often overlooked: the challenge of producing affordable food for billions hinges on the very pesticides many seek to avoid on their tables. This dilemma underscores the struggle farmers face in transitioning towards more sustainable practices, where innovation must bridge the gap between environmental stewardship and economic viability.

Take, for instance, staple crops like soybeans, corn or cotton, which heavily rely on glyphosate, the world's most utilized and contentious pesticide. Despite the desire for biological alternatives, glyphosate remains irreplaceable for now. The future lies in regenerative agriculture with fewer chemicals. However, it may take decades until we can completely replace them. Combining technologies both in the lab and on the farm can start today to create a sustainable future that feeds everyone.

Unibaio has developed a microparticle derived from natural sources designed to enhance the effectiveness of pesticides and fertilizers. This innovative ingredient facilitates greater absorption of active components by plants, thereby minimizing the harmful runoff associated with conventional agrochemicals. By making bio-alternatives more appealing to farmers, it represents a significant step towards sustainable agricultural practices. The development of this pioneering technology is the culmination of decades of research led by four female scientists from Argentina.

The Food Innovation Hubs Global Initiative will host the premier Food Innovation Conference on 13-15 May in Dubai, UAE. Under the theme “Reimagining Future Food Systems,” stakeholders will exchange knowledge, facilitate partnership opportunities, scale frontier technology solutions, deepen cooperation and accelerate the movement on food systems innovation globally. This high-level event will be hosted by the Forum in collaboration with the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, UAE.

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Inspiring graduate: emma flemke, b.s. food science & technology.

Inspiring Graduate: Emma Flemke (’24)

• Hometown: Red Wing, Minn.
• Degree:  B.S. Food Science & Technology

Transferring to UW-Stout during the pandemic was challenging for Emma Flemke . It was hard for her adjusting to campus, navigating a new school system and meeting other students. 

But by joining clubs and making connections with her peers and professors in her program, she began to feel a part of the campus community.

Flemke earned her  B.S. in food science and technology on May 4, along with 1,037 graduates.

She was hired before graduation at the Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery, in Menomonie.

How has your UW-Stout experience changed you?

My Stout experience has changed me by giving me the tools to work toward my professional goals and aspirations. It has created opportunities for me to grow and try things out of my comfort zone.

Stout has given me the tools and hands-on experience through labs and working as a research assistant to help me prepare to work in my field. 

By applying what I learned in class to internships and jobs, I can confidently complete any task assigned to me.

Throughout my Stout experience, my professors and colleagues have stood out most to me. With the smaller class sizes, I found it easy to grow connections with professors and work toward my goals and interests.

Fermentation station: Microbiology students boost skillsets with pungent lab experiments

How did your involvement on campus impact your experience?

Stout has given me opportunities through clubs and events to bond with other students inside and outside of my major. I have been a member of the Boxing Club and Food Science Club, serving as president from 2022-23.

I was a mentor with  Mentor Collective program to help first-year students and those new to UW-Stout with any questions and concerns they have with college. When I started college, I had many questions and often found myself having to figure out stuff on my own. Through this program, I was able to help guide my mentees through their first-year college experience.

Joining these clubs and programs enriched my experience at Stout by making me feel like I was part of campus. 

They created a safe area in which I could make friends with other students from similar and different majors that had a common interest.

What are you most proud of as you finish your degree?

I am most proud of the connections I have made and experiences I have gone through that have shaped me into the person I am today.

Inspiring Graduates

Inspiring Graduates Share Their Stout Experiences

Inspiring Graduate: Lauren Arenz, B.S. Early Childhood Education

Inspiring Graduate: Genevieve Czaplewski, B.S. Applied Social Science

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Researchers shed new light on carboxysomes in key discovery that could boost photosynthesis

by Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

A research team led by the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) has discovered how carboxysomes—carbon-fixing structures found in some bacteria and algae—work. The breakthrough could help scientists redesign and repurpose the structures to enable plants to convert sunlight into more energy, paving the way for improved photosynthesis efficiency, potentially increasing the global food supply and mitigating global warming.

Carboxysomes are tiny compartments in certain bacteria and algae that encase particular enzymes in a shell made of proteins. They perform carbon fixation , which is the process of converting carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into organic compounds that can be used by the cell for growth and energy. Scientists have been trying to figure out how these compartments put themselves together.

In their latest research, the team led by Prof. Zeng Qinglu, Associated Professor at HKUST's Department of Ocean Science, has shown the overall architecture of carboxysomes purified from a type of bacteria called Prochlorococcus.

In collaboration with Prof. Zhou Cong-Zhao of the School of Life Sciences in the University of Science & Technology of China, the team overcame one of the biggest technical difficulties in cell breakage and contamination, which would prevent the proper purification of carboxysomes. The team also proposes a complete assembly model of α-carboxysome, which has not been observed in previous studies.

Their research is published in the journal Nature Plants .

The team specifically utilized single-particle cryo- electron microscopy to determine the structure of α-carboxysome and characterize the assembly pattern of the protein shell, which looks like a 20-sided shape with specific proteins arranged on its surface. To obtain the structure of the minimal α-carboxysome with a diameter of 86 nm, they collected over 23,400 images taken from the microscope at the HKUST Biological Cryo-EM Center and manually picked about 32,000 intact α-carboxysome particles for analysis.

Inside, the RuBisCO enzymes are arranged in three concentric layers, and the research team also discovered that a protein called CsoS2 helps to hold everything together inside the shell. Finally, the findings suggest that carboxysomes are put together from the outside in. This means that the inside surface of the shell is strengthened by certain parts of the CsoS2 protein, while other parts of the protein attract the RuBisCO enzymes and organize them into layers.

One of the most promising application of carboxysome is in plant synthetic biology , whereby the introduction of carboxysome into plant chloroplasts as the CO 2 -concentrating mechanism can improve photosynthetic efficiency and crop yield.

"Our study unveils the mystery of α-carboxysome assembly from Prochlorococcus, thus providing novel insights into global carbon cycling," says Prof. Zeng.

The findings will also be important to slow down global warming , he explains, as marine cyanobacteria fix 25% of global CO 2 . "Our understanding of the CO 2 fixation mechanism of marine cyanobacteria will enable us to improve their CO 2 fixation rate so that more CO 2 can be removed from the atmosphere," he says.

Following this study, the team plans to introduce Prochlorococcus α-carboxysome into plant chloroplasts and investigate whether the minimal α-carboxysome can improve the photosynthetic efficiency in plants. They also plan to modify the carboxysome genes and make genetically modified super cyanobacteria that are able to fix carbon dioxide at very high rates, which may be able to slow down global warming.

Journal information: Nature Plants

Provided by Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

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Sharing Aquaculture Science Across Borders: 50 Years of American-Japanese Collaboration

May 14, 2024

U.S. and Japanese scientists build on a legacy of collaboration to advance sustainable ocean farming.

Food is a powerful means of sharing culture, and the United States and Japan share a love of delicious and sustainable farmed seafood. Since 1971, NOAA Fisheries and the Japanese Fisheries Research and Education Agency have collaborated through the U.S.-Japan Natural Resources Aquaculture Panel. 

The panel’s principal aims are to cooperatively:

• Develop and conserve natural resources
• Share information and results of research activities
• Provide a continuing forum for applied science and technology cooperation

"The two countries, Japan and the United States, have very different cultural backgrounds and for this very reason we can work together to solve problems from different perspectives, producing results that cannot be achieved in one country,” said Dr. Hideaki Aono, former Japan Panel Chair (2019–2024). “Since there has been more than 50 years of research exchange between two countries, the strong sense of trust facilitates sharing knowledge and technology."

Science and Technology Exchange

The panel has evolved to adapt to emerging challenges and opportunities. NOAA Fisheries Office of Aquaculture sponsors this bilateral in collaboration with aquaculture scientists from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service and national Sea Grant programs. The panel holds annual meetings where scientists share research results, new technology, and approaches for sustainable aquaculture.

Over the years, American and Japanese aquaculture experts have collaborated on:

• Laboratory and field research
• Exchanges of samples for research
• Synthesizing hard-to-get data in the archives of each nation
• Gathering statistics to chart the growth of the aquaculture industries in both the United States and Japan

“This is one of those few opportunities where 1 + 1 = way more than 2,”  said Dr. Mike Rust, former U.S. Panel Chair (2010–2022). “Scientists from both countries get more than they give when they find researchers in the other country working on similar problems and visit their labs. The chance to visit research, educational, and industry infrastructure in both countries in the company of the experts who work there is a uniquely valuable opportunity.”

Panel meetings allow experts to tour aquaculture facilities in the United States and Japan. They identify common areas of research and knowledge gaps, share insights and innovations, and foster working relationships between scientists. 

One such collaboration helped create a workshop on  Seriola fish farming, held biennially at NOAA’s Southwest Fisheries Science Center. This workshop has grown over the years. At the fourth workshop, in January 2024, more than 100 stakeholders from 14 different countries participated to discuss topics related to  Seriola aquaculture.

2023 Meeting in Maine

The most recent meeting in this long scientific legacy was the 2023 meeting in Freeport, Maine. The theme was “Control and Management of Aquaculture Disease.” It focused on current and emerging threats to the aquaculture industry from disease—the third and final annual meeting on this theme. 

U.S. and Japanese researchers presented on timely topics such as disease management for various shellfish, fish, and seaweed species. Sharing management and science in this open way allows for new information sharing and collaboration opportunities.

Over the next 3 years (2024–2026), the focus will shift to “A New Era for Sustainable Aquaculture.” Researchers will explore topics such as new management practices, improved feeds, and selective breeding for climate resilience. They will also examine implementing new technologies like robotics and genomics for aquaculture management.

These in-person events bring researchers together, facilitating partnerships for innovative science across borders. As our climate changes, aquaculture isn’t just part of the United State’s strategy for adaptation—it has global implications. 

Bringing aquaculture researchers from the United States and Japan together allows us to maximize our capacities for developing global climate change solutions for the fastest-growing food sector in the world.

“The ability to investigate new avenues of thought thanks to this cultural and professional exchange has taught us so much,” said Dr. Janet Whaley, current U.S. Panel Chair. “We have so much more to learn, and to share, from this long-standing bilateral collaboration.”

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Announcing the 2024–25 May Budget

Our portfolio is central to delivering on the Australian Government’s vision of a Future Made in Australia to boost investment, create jobs and seize the opportunities of a shifting global economy. 

This includes: 

• seizing the opportunities of the transition to net zero emissions
• making the most of new and emerging technologies
• supporting the creation of internationally competitive industries and new sources of economic growth.

Our portfolio is backing sectors identified in the Future Made in Australia National Interest Framework as critical to our economic resilience and national security. These capitalise on our comparative advantages and contribute to our net zero transition. 

We’ll work closely across government to design and implement initiatives for batteries, clean energy manufacturing, green metals and critical minerals. 

We’ll also continue to support Australian industry across the economy through existing programs and plans. These include the Cooperative Research Centres program, Research and Development Tax Incentive program, Industry Growth Program and National Reconstruction Fund.

Key measures

Growing innovative and competitive businesses, industries and regions.

• Transforming Australia’s battery industry by helping manufacturers move up the battery value chain through a new Battery Breakthrough Initiative ($523.2 million over 7 years). This is a key deliverable under the upcoming National Battery Strategy. 
• Positioning Australia as the world leader in green production of iron, steel, alumina and aluminium through new Green Metals Foundational Initiatives ($18.1 million over 6 years). We will consult with industry on further options to help decarbonise Australian metals.
• Supporting innovation, commercialisation, pilot program and early stage development in priority sectors through the Future Made in Innovation Fund ($1.7 billion over 10 years from 2024-25). This will target renewable hydrogen, green metals, low carbon liquid fuels and clean energy technology manufacturing like batteries. The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) will administer the fund with support from our department. 
• Supporting implementation of mandatory country of origin labelling for seafood in hospitality settings ($3 million over 4 years from 2024-25). 
• Ensuring performance of the National Reconstruction Fund Corporation (NRFC) to build domestic capability in 7 priority areas.

Investing in science and technology

• Undertaking a strategic examination of Australia’s research and development (R&D) policies. This will strengthen its alignment with government priorities and improve innovation and R&D outcomes.
• Supporting a thriving, skilled and diverse science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) workforce ($38.2 million over 8 years). Under the measure, existing STEM programs that focus on women and science engagement will receive additional funding to reach more diverse cohorts. These include women and girls, First Nations people, culturally and linguistically diverse people and people from regional and rural areas. This will put into action recommendations of the Pathway to Diversity in STEM Review and support the government’s commitment to gender equity and diversity in STEM.
• Integrating Australia’s artificial intelligence (AI) expertise across AI policy development, programs and outreach ($21.6 million over 5 years). This includes positioning the National Artificial Intelligence Centre (NAIC) as the government’s flagship organisation for engaging with industry by bringing it into our department. It also establishes an AI Advisory Body.
• Uplifting our department’s capability to lead and coordinate the government’s safe and responsible AI agenda ($8.5 million over 2 years from 2024-25).
• Maintaining Australia’s sovereign measurement science capabilities through the National Measurement Institute ($145.4 million over 2 years). This addresses critical funding needs including for capital works.
• Investing in world-leading company PsiQuantum to build and operate its world-first utility-scale fault tolerant quantum computer, in collaboration with the Queensland Government. 
• Securing Australia’s sovereign capability and competitiveness in manufacturing nuclear medicines through the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO). This will support a new manufacturing facility ($479.9 million over 9 years from 2024-25) and ensure medicines remain affordable for Australians ($25.9 million over 2 years from 2024-25).

Supporting a strong resources sector

• Supporting Australian critical minerals processing through the new Critical Minerals Production Tax Incentive ($7 billion over 11 years from 2023-24). The incentive will give a 10% refundable tax offset for the eligible costs of processing critical minerals in Australia.
• Capitalising on Australia’s critical minerals and the global clean energy transition through a range of investments. These include $10.2 million to establish the Critical Minerals National Productivity Initiative and $1 million for a pilot program to strengthen the capabilities of Australia’s critical minerals sector to detect, prevent and mitigate foreign interference.
• Advancing our understanding of Australia’s critical minerals, strategic materials and other resources necessary for net zero transition through a Resourcing Australia’s Prosperity program ($566.1 million over 10 years from 2024-25). This will enable Geoscience Australia to map the whole of onshore Australia by 2060 and deliver high quality data and information. 
• Continuing the ongoing partnership (nearly 50 years) with the US Geological Survey in the Landsat Next satellite project ($448.7 million over 11 years from 2023–24, and an average of $43.2 million per year ongoing from 2034–35). This secures access to high quality land imaging data to inform mining, agriculture, and emergency response.
• Growing Australia’s oil and gas decommissioning industry through the upcoming Roadmap for Establishing a Decommissioning Industry in Australia ($6.8 million over 2 years from 2024-25). This measure will help our department address barriers to growth in Australia’s decommissioning industry.

Reprofiled spending

• Addressing funding needs for the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project (reprofiling $92 million of previously committed funding from 2025-26 and 2026-27 to 2024-25). This reprofiling is mostly due to increases in construction costs at the SKA’s Western Australian site. It forms part of Australia’s total commitment to the SKA project ($643 million over 10 years from 2021-22).
• Updating the Australian Government’s approach to managing radioactive waste (reprofiling previously budgeted funding, including allocations from the 2023-24 Safely Managing Australia’s Radioactive Waste measure). 

Budget details

Portfolio budget statements, ministers’ media releases, minister for resources and northern australia: 2024–25 budget announcement, minister for industry and science: 2024–25 budget announcement, more information.