A machine that prints chicken nuggets. Fake shrimp made out of algae. Edible coverings that keep fruit fresh.
The Wall Street Journal reports such inventions—and many more—are part of a technological revolution that is poised to shake up the way we eat.
The food industry has been taking heat from consumers and critics who are demanding healthier ingredients, transparency about where their meals come from and better treatment of animals. There is also a growing awareness of the harmful effect that food production can have on the environment.
Now big food companies and entrepreneurs are taking advantage of advances in robotics and data science to meet those challenges—and the trend will likely continue as technology improves, and natural ingredients become easier to cultivate.
It also helps that venture capitalists are flocking to the companies cooking up these innovations. This year is on pace to set a record for this decade for venture investment in food technology, according to the PitchBook Platform data provider. As of mid-September 2018, VC funds had invested more than $2 billion into the industry, compared with about $1.5 billion annually in 2016 and 2017.
Investors say the food industry is playing catch-up now after historically lagging behind in technological advancements.
Read the full story for a look at some of the breakthrough technologies that may have a big impact on what we eat, and how our food is made.
