Current Trends in Green Technologies in Food Production and Processing: A Comprehensive Review

Introduction

The global population will grow past 9 billion by 2050. This growth forces food supply and demand to balance in a sustainable way. Industrial growth and more urban areas push us to use better food production methods. Environmental problems like loss of species, climate change, scarce water, and pesticide harm add to the need for green technologies in food.

Key Environmental Challenges

• Land use change cuts down species.
• Aquatic eutrophication results when too many nutrients go into water.
• Climate change grows from gases released by farming and fuel use.
• Water shortages happen with too much irrigation.
• Pesticides hurt ecosystems and human health.
• A large share (30–50%) of food is wasted, which wastes resources.

Green Technologies and Sustainable Practices

The work, Green Technologies in Food Production and Processing (2012), shows that care for the environment must go with careful energy and material use. Researchers urge us to:

• Use organic inputs and eco-friendly packaging.
• Support movements like “buy local,” “whole foods,” “free-from,” and “fair-trade” that match our values.
• Apply life cycle assessment tools to check and help the environment across the food chain.
• Use new methods for research and sustainable growth.
• Develop tools to reduce toxins made during processing.
• Look at social factors that guide the public toward green choices.
• Stress that biodiversity is important for healthy diets.

Evolution of the Food Supply Chain

Food systems were once local and followed the seasons. Subsistence farming gave food directly to communities. With industrialization, supply chains became long and complex. Food turned into a commodity, and retailers became middlemen. This gap grows pressure on processors to tackle environmental issues directly.

Implications for Industry and Policy

Green technologies must lower environmental harm. Policies and practices need to use resources wisely and reduce waste. Farmers, manufacturers, consumers, and policy-makers must work together to shift society toward sustainability.

Conclusion

Meeting the growing food needs will rely on green technologies that care for our planet. A full approach in production, processing, packaging, and consumer actions will help secure food and a healthy environment for future generations.

Reference:
Boye, J. I., & Arcand, Y. (2013). Current Trends in Green Technologies in Food Production and Processing. Food Engineering Reviews, 5(1), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12393-012-9062-z
Published Open Access under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic License.

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