Technology

The COVID‐19 pandemic significantly disrupted the food supply chain: think of all the food normally going to restaurants that had to be diverted to other outlets to avoid its waste or all those gaps in the supermarket shelves due to the absence of common items whose availability has always been taken for granted. In this context, having a system in place that allowed distributors to extend the shelf life of foods proved to be essential: it was not just about being able to meet the unforeseeable peaks and falls in demand but also - and above all - about preserving…

As governments all over the world began the distribution of Covid-19 vaccine, cold chain management has emerged as a crucial factor for ensuring the effectiveness of the vaccine itself. An efficient management of the vaccine cold chain requires several degrees of coordination among multiple stakeholders such as - just to name a few - pharmaceutical manufacturers, specialized laboratories for storage and logistics providers who can ensure climate-controlled transportation and distribution. Even if for a completely different range of products, this process is not dissimilar to the one we experience on a daily basis in our business. The cold chain and…

  Is it possible to generate clean energy from wine processing waste? Today, it is indeed. The innovation is a result of the partnership between Ca’ Foscari University of Venice and Serena Wines 1881 – among the top-5 Italian producers of prosecco – which teamed up in a biennial research project based upon a joint patent. Ca’ Foscari President Michele Bugliesi and the Director of the Conegliano (Treviso)-based company, Giorgio Serena, have signed an agreement for the in-lab development of new generation PV cells that will exploit the natural dyes of the lees – the waste product of winemaking and…

  If it's not an art, it's not far short either. Photographing food is becoming increasingly important for those who work in the food industry: producers, traders, caterers and food bloggers. What could have more impact than an image when promoting one's products? Some turn to professional photographers, others do it themselves, but it's the finer details that always make the difference. Here is some practical advice for beginners.   1-Your subject A camera lens emphasizes every single imperfection so you need to make sure the dish you want to photograph is absolutely perfect.   2-Framing the shot Your distance…

Today food production and distribution systems are becoming more interdependent. In order to reduce food waste and to maintain a proper value chain that ranges from production to consumption, technologically advanced traceability is required. (more…)

From the beginning of human settlement, the need to preserve food and limit food spoilage was essential for survival. Since then, many household methods of food preservation, such as the addition of spices and fermentation, have evolved. In today’s modern commercial food production, spoilage and contamination are preserved by a variety of methods. (more…)

Behind climate change and the economic policy placed on the importance of environmental issues, sustainability is a perpetual challenge and agroforestry is one of the best tools we currently have at hand. Agroforestry plays a key role in helping the world adopt sustainable agriculture and contrast climate change. (more…)

Natural food scarcity paired with the fact that the planet’s population continues to grow has engineers and bioscientists trying to discover new sustainable food solutions.  (more…)

  Italian food is loved all around the world: pasta, pizza and Italian ice cream (gelato) are the among Italian food products that are famous worldwide. Because of those who are behind the “Made in Italy” cause, many entrepreneurs have been able to build successful businesses. (more…)

Finally, an Italian app that will save “Made in Italy” worldwide. Maybe. This summer, Italcheck was born: An Italian app that verifies which Italian food products are genuine and which ones are not. This will help shoppers and aid manufacturers fight food fraud. (more…)

  Gianpaolo Grazioli, a producer of Italian ice cream, commissioned four Otago University food science majors to incorporate live bacteria into chocolate in the hopes that it would create a new food. (more…)

Hydroponic culture (from Greek ύδωρ, water, + πόνος, work) is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, in water, without soil. Plants are irrigated with a solution of water and nutrients. That technique permits controlled and high quality productions during all year around. (more…)