Trends and Challenges in the Food Industry

Theoretical-practical classes with analysis of real cases

Seminars with industry professionals, with prior preparation of the topics through bibliographic research

Technical visits to bread, olive oil, wine, cheese, or algae producers.

The student should be able to:

Understand the evolution of the main traditional food chains and their future challenges.

Assess consumer trends and emerging patterns that influence classic products, in order to interpret global trends and predict impacts on the traditional food industry.

Recognize the potential of new food sources as alternatives to animal protein, in order to evaluate the viability of alternative ingredients and production chains.

Develop critical thinking about the relationship between tradition, food identity, and global changes, with the aim of building technical and socioeconomic arguments related to the future of food.

Communicate clearly and in an evidence-based manner about future perspectives for different food sectors, producing presentations and critical reports grounded in scientific evidence.

Introduction to Future Food Perspectives: global trends in the agri-food sector; drivers of change: climate, demography, economy, consumer behaviour.
Traditional Production Chains in Transformation:

Bakery and cereal products (revalorization of ancient grains and sustainable baking; new consumption patterns; circular economy in baking; waste reduction);

Olive oil (climate change and its impact on olive groves; precision oliviculture; sustainability and product diversification; valorization of olive oil by-products);

Wine (new aromatic profiles; low-intervention wines; dealcoholized wines).

Fermentations and Traditional Productions as a Basis for the Future: cheeses, yogurts, kombucha, kefir and pickles analysed from a sustainable innovation perspective.

New Ingredients and Alternative Food Models: algae (micro- and macroalgae), mushrooms and mycoprotein, edible insects, halophytes as a response to the challenges, in food industry.

NAO