Sustainable Food Innovation

This text offers a holistic approach to the two topics of the highest interest in the current and future food industry: sustainability and nutrition. The current knowledge is narrow and specific to individual topics focusing on either one nutrient or one discipline. Food is part of a wide circle of disciplines: nutrition, technology, sensory, environmental aspects, psychology, economy, culture and society. In the recent years, the sales of innovative foods such as meatless burgers, allergen-free products and personalized nutrition have skyrocketed.

Sustainable Food Innovation presents the big picture on each nutrient: industrial and natural sources (ingredients, food products), consumer acceptability (price, sensory quality) and nutritional properties (quantity and quality) with each chapter focusing on a specific essential nutrient. Further chapters illustrate the role of other elements of interest such as bioactive. In addition, experimental datais added to enrich the book. Online discussions on current food trends are analyzed and presented to the reader in the effort to understand consumers’ psychology.

This will be the first publication to combine literature review and research data and the first to offer a comprehensive discussion on sustainable food innovation. The ultimate goal is to educate consumers and experts, providing technical and socioeconomic knowledge in a multidisciplinary context. Ultimately, informed technologists will develop healthier, sustainable food products and informed consumers will make informed decisions on nutrition and food choices.

Dr Luca Serventi is a Senior Lecturer of Food Innovation and Coordinator for Bachelor of Food Science, Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma in Applied Science in the Department of Wine, Food and Molecular Biosciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Lincoln University in Christchurch, New Zealand.