What will we eat tomorrow?The future of nutrition passes through research and technology

Federal Food-Otan Conference in the Senate:Without research there is no future

ROME – Food research and technologies as a precious tool to face today's global challenges, from climate change to demographic growth, with the aim of achieving sustainable food production that contributes to guaranteeing the future and well-being of society and populations.This was precisely the theme at the center of the conference 'Research and technologies for the future of the agri-food industry', organized in Rome in the Chapter Room of the Senate by the Council of the National Order of Food Technologists-Otan and by Federalimentare to underline the importance of agri-food technologies for collective well-being and the role that technological innovation, applied to the food industry, can guarantee in promoting access to safe and high-quality food.
According to Censis, the ethical and social values ​​that guide them in the choice of products are important for Italians.66.7% are ready to give up products that could be harmful to health, 52.6% those not in line with food safety criteria, 43.3% those whose production and distribution do not respect the environment and 35.6% to those for whose production the rights of workers and suppliers are not protected.Alongside these numbers, it also emerges that the food industry has a high social reputation, in which 86.4% of Italians declare they have trust.And it is a transversal trust, which involves 93.8% of elderly people, 84.2% of adults and 81.6% of younger people.All this certifies how, thanks to research, science and technology, food and the processing industry have produced a positive revolution in the habits and choices of Italians who seek safe, quality foods.

'FOOD SCIENCE', FOOD TECHNOLOGIES DRIVING SOCIAL EVOLUTION

Over the centuries, the primary ability of human beings has always been to obtain food and to use increasingly advanced techniques to guarantee its conservation.The historical and cultural evolution of this need, facilitated by the discoveries of the microbiological, chemical, physical, engineering and mechanical sciences, led to the birth of Food Science, or the Science and Technology of Food.The main objectives of this science applied to the technological processing of foods were to make the production processes optimal, to guarantee the healthiness of the foods, to guarantee the maximum nutritional intake, to improve the sensorial quality of the foods and to extend the commercial life of the products. products intended for consumers.This progress has allowed, and allows, to provide safe and nutritious products to the population, adapting over time to the ever-changing needs dictated by the evolution of society and the problems it faces.

RESEARCH AND INNOVATION TO ADDRESS GLOBAL CHALLENGES

Research in the food technology sector is constantly developing.A development aimed at satisfying both the needs relating to 'food security' (accessibility of food to the population) and ensuring 'food safety' (quality and safety).This development is directing scientific studies towards new complementary research fields such as artificial intelligence, such as the development of food technologies aimed at the reuse of raw materials, up to packaging research.Research and innovation, therefore, are decisive for addressing the global challenges related to the production, distribution and consumption of food precisely to create a more sustainable, safe and fair future of the global food system by involving the entire agri-food chain.

TOWARDS INTELLIGENT AND ADVANCED AGRICULTURE

The traceability of the food supply chain can be strongly supported by blockchain technology starting from the activities in the field.This is why we talk more and more often about precision or digital agriculture precisely because innovative solutions in the agricultural sector are transforming the way agricultural products are grown and the methods of livestock management.Having precise, real-time data available allows you to act in a timely manner on agricultural systems, reducing waste and preventing the spread of plant diseases affecting cultivated fields.In this complex system, therefore, the synergy between primary production professionals and transformation professionals constitutes an essential combination for the development of the agri-food system and for the protection of the most important stakeholders, namely the environment and consumers.

For the Minister of Business and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso:“Thanks to research and technology, in recent years food safety has grown and production costs have decreased, leading both to significant price reductions and to a widespread diffusion of a complete, varied and balanced diet.The food that is on our tables today is the result of continuous innovation which, starting from the best traditions, enriches them, so that they increasingly satisfy our needs.At this juncture, the Government is aware that an effort is required in terms of investments to launch new production models capable of combining efficiency and sustainability, ensuring respect for the environment without giving up profit.Along this path, Plan 5.0, with its 13 billion available to businesses, contributes to supporting the green and digital revolution.Furthermore, together with MASAF we have dedicated a table to the agri-food sector which, in addition to being one of the ambassadors of Made in Italy, represents an indispensable lever for national strategic autonomy".

Gian Marco Centinaio, Vice President of the Senate of the Republic, declared:“Through scientific and technological research we have always been considered the first, so we must dictate the line to others without being too self-referential.The supply chain, from the agricultural world to distribution, must be aware that together we must move in the right direction.In Europe we also need greater collaboration between politics and the private sector, and it is a priority to listen to those in the field to bring the requests to the attention of the European institutions, without flights of fancy and without rules that would create social discomfort".

Mirco Carloni, President of the Agriculture Commission of the Chamber of Deputies, stated:“Agriculture will be able to be more competitive and give farmers more profitability to the extent that there will be a greater transfer of skills which also concern technology and innovation.Every piece of knowledge, which can be innovative or traditional and which, in some way, favors the productive improvement of an agricultural company, is to be considered important.In this regard, the law that I presented as the first signatory on youth entrepreneurship, definitively approved, sees research and training as a fundamental element of the new competitiveness of agricultural companies".

For Francesco Battistoni, Vice President of the Environment, Territory and Public Works Commission of the Chamber of Deputies:“Today's conference has lit a beacon of knowledge on the role that food technologists play throughout the food supply chain to guarantee us safe and sustainable food.Technological advances, such as precision agriculture, TEA and artificial intelligence, are some virtuous examples that tell us how research and science, applied in the food field, can contribute to making the food industry increasingly a safe for citizens who recognize its reliability, quality and trust".

Sergio Marchi, Chief Technical Secretariat of the Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry, delegated by Minister Francesco Lollobrigida, declared:“Food technologists represent a key figure for the agri-food system.As a Ministry we are convinced that safeguarding the sector is therefore fundamental for the country.In fact, agri-food drives the development of innovation and the economy.We therefore think that the dialogue between food safety and sustainability is important today.In this sense, strengthening research and development in rural areas is a priority of MASAF.Many Pnrr funds will therefore be aimed at obtaining good food for all, a model that characterizes the Italian system".

For Laura Mongiello, President of the Council of the National Order of Food Technologists:“This initiative, the first of a long series that we will organize together with Federalimentare, aims to build a path aimed at contributing to the management of the complexity of the agri-food supply chain, in the awareness that there is no progress without science, and food science, it has always played a crucial role in the evolution of society.The challenges that await us are many and important, starting with having to guarantee everyone access to food that is safe from a hygienic-sanitary point of view, nutritious and of high quality, respecting the environment and ethical principles.In this sense, agri-food research and technologies become one of the pillars on which to build effective responses, and the Order of Food Technologists moves along this path, which ensures compliance with a rigid code of ethics, and therefore with the ethical principles, of its registered".

Second Paolo Mascarino, President of Federalimentare: “Food technologists play a little-known but fundamental role, and this conference aimed to draw attention to their importance within food production processes.The technology applied to the food sector has allowed everyone to have access to safe and certified foods, obtained through transformation processes of raw materials that respect their nutritional and organoleptic qualities.Food technologies and scientific research are favoring the transition towards a high-quality agri-food supply chain that satisfies the new and increasingly complex needs of consumers".

For Giorgio De Rita, General Secretary Censis:“The most interesting fact that emerges today is that Italians' trust in the food industry is growing despite the many moments of crisis.Trust concerns the progress and technological advancement of the industry which is based on two foundations:the ability to follow changes in consumption styles and evolving technology in relation to an increasingly complex and sophisticated demand that requires attention, security and information.Italians believe that the food industry is a source of private welfare, a sort of private shock absorber.There is widespread awareness of how the food industry, in fact, is one of the main sources of individual well-being.The food industry must have the ability to keep up with these dynamics as well as guaranteeing Italians safety, information and a variety of food choices."

Marco Dalla Rosa, Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Bologna declared:“We are working in the academic field so that sustainability becomes increasingly central in the industrial and agri-food sector.The work of food technologists is to guarantee increasingly safe products that provide a greater healthy component, a better nutritional and sustainable contribution with the aim of reaching new markets and new consumers.It is therefore necessary to valorise the products of the food industry which has the aim of reducing waste and inefficiencies in the supply chain to give greater credibility and solidity to the sector.Thanks to safer and more controlled products, the life expectancy of the population has also increased."

Second Stefano Zardetto, President of the Order of Food Technologists of Veneto and Trentino Alto Adige (OTAV):“Every day we food technologists must guarantee safe and sustainable nutrition for everyone.We are changing our lifestyle habits, we are consuming beyond the planet's generative capacity and this is because the number of the population is increasing.In this sense, we need to find other sources and it is essential to have a sustainable vision of the sector.There are still many imbalances in the world and we have a long way to go.Research and technological innovation are necessary to find new solutions to improve sustainability, reduce waste and guarantee product safety."

For Flavio Pezzoli, President of the Order of Agronomists and Foresters of the Province of Rome (ODAF):“Agriculture is by its origin innovation and the farmer is by nature an innovator.New technologies must be able to deal with climate change, the conscious use of chemistry, water saving and the depletion of soil in organic matter.In this sense, we must preserve the land and its well-being through the conscious use of new technologies that create a link between us professionals in the world of production and processing professionals".