Technology Trends Powering the Fresh, Healthy Food Revolution
Our modern economy means that we have access to foods in a greater quantities and varieties than ever before. Unfortunately, it's the mass-produced, heavily-processed foods that are the most easily accessible to consumers on a budget. With obesity rates rising every year, the impact of a poor diet is impossible to ignore. Many Americans are making health their number one priority by preparing sustainable meals made exclusively with fresh, healthy ingredients. With the healthy food movement growing at an incredible pace, the marketplace has begun to pivot. Here are 5 exciting, healthy technologies that are going to change the way we eat.
Smart Appliances
The easiest way to improve your diet is to simply prepare your own meals. Hand selecting and measuring each ingredient means we are able to control how much salt, fat, and oil we use. Unfortunately, the growth of the modern economy means that we often spend long hours at work, leaving little opportunity for food preparation. Next generation smart appliances are hitting the market, capable of automating the most time consuming parts of food preparation. Products sold by Nomiku will allow you to monitor your dinner with a live video stream from the inside of your oven. Want to receive a text message when your steak is done? No problem! These next generation products are changing the way we prepare our food. Making healthy, home cooked meals is now an option for even the busiest professionals.
Oil Free Fryers
For many people, fried foods are a delicious, filling snack that is almost impossible to pass up. OilFreeFrying is a company that does exactly what the name says – create delicious fried foods without the use of fatty oils. By taking advantage of advanced new heating technology, these fryers are able to prepare rich, textured meals simply by blowing superheated air over the raw ingredients. This method of cooking transfers heat just as effectively as boiling oil, so you can still enjoy the delicious taste of fried foods without the unnecessary fat content. With snacks like French fries, up to 90% of the calories can come from the cooking oil alone. This makes the air fryer one of the easiest ways to clean up your diet without giving up the food you love.
Farm Automation
In the past, we've made food production more efficient by replacing the family-run farm with industrial scale hydroponic operations. It turns out that mass producing genetically modified crops in synthetic environments reduces the nutritional value of the food. Crops need to grow in a natural, nutrient rich environment in order to nurture a reasonable nutritional balance. Climate Corp is a company that is working to optimize small, independent farms in such a way that they are able to compete with large industrial processes. Computer connected sensors are installed that monitor soil composition, hydration and weather. By performing data analytics on the tracked variables, the computer is then able to manage fertilization level, watering schedule, and mineral substitution. Small changes made on a scientific and calculated basis allow for significant improvements to crop yield. Widespread adoption of this technology will make organic, carefully grown produce accessible to consumers all over the world.
Food Sensors
How many times have you grabbed an item off the grocery store shelves without checking the list of ingredients? People who suffer from gluten sensitivity do not have this luxury. Gluten is found in so many food products that it can be difficult to avoid. But when even the smallest exposure to the substance can leave you keeled over for hours, you take the time to double check. 6SensorLabs has created a handheld device that can tell you, at the touch of a button, whether a food item contains gluten. If the prototype is successful, they may create a range of products that detect a larger range of harmful ingredients. Technologies like this will help people all over the world make wiser, more informed food choices.
