A presentation on the future of food technology, completed for The Emerging Future MOOC, San Jose State University

1. The Future of
Food Technology
Rachel Owens, Daytona State College

2. Current food
production:
Consumes 80% of the
available fresh water in
the U.S.

3. Climate change:
Creates increasingly
unstable weather patterns,
adversely impacting
harvests

4. Transportation
costs:
Increase food expense

5. Waste
30-50% of current food
production worldwide
is wasted.

6. Cropland:
Increasingly affected
by soil erosion,
overgrazing, and
decreased fertility

7. Inefficiency
Feeding animals is an
inefficient way to feed
humans.

8. Greenhouse
gases
Food production is as
currently practiced is a
major contributor to
greenhouse gases.

9. 800 million
people
Are food-insecure in
2014.

10. 9 billion people
Estimated world
population by 2050

11. Technological
Solutions

12. Aeroponics
• Reduces agricultural
water use by 98%
• Grows plants in
air/mist
environment

13. In vitro meat
Eliminates the need for
grain to feed animals

14. Closed-system
fish farms
Eliminate the pollution
and risk of disease
associated with current
models of open-system
fish farms

15. Diversified food
sources
• Algae
• Insects
• Edible plants not
currently used for
food

16. Smart
packaging
• Reduces food waste
• Monitors freshness
• Extends shelf life
• Improves safety

17. Sources
• http://www.theverge.com/2014/8/27/6074417/how-to-feed-the-cities-of-the-future-
mit-cityfarm
• http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/past-exhibitions/our-global-kitchen-food-nature-
culture/future-of-food
• http://environmentalresearchweb.org/cws/article/news/57936
• http://www.wri.org/publication/creating-sustainable-food-future-interim-findings