(Finance) – In an era characterized by unprecedented global challenges, such as climate change, demographic growth and the need for sustainable food production, the role of research and of food Technology is fundamental for outlining the future of society and the well-being of populations. Today’s conference, “Research and technologies for the future of the agri-food industry” carried out in the Senate and promoted by Council of the National Order of Food Technologists (OTAN) and from Federal foodwanted to underline the importance of agri-food technologies for collective well-being and the role that technological innovation, applied to the food industry, can guarantee in promoting access to safe and high quality food.
According to Censis, the following are important for Italians values ethical And social which guide them in the choice of products. 66.7% are ready to give up products that could be harmful to health52.6% to those not in line with the criteria food safety43.3% to those whose production and distribution does not comply with theenvironment and 35.6% to those for whose production they are not protected rights of workers and suppliers.
Alongside these numbers, it also emerges as the infood industry has a high social reputation in which 86.4% of Italians declare they have trust and it is a transversal trust, which involves 93.8% of the elderly, 84.2% of adults and 81.6% of the youngest. All this certifies how, thanks to research, science and technology, food and the processing industry have produced a positive revolution in the habits and choices of Italians who seek safe, quality foods.
Over the centuries the primary capacity of human beings has always been that of obtaining food and using increasingly advanced techniques to guarantee its conservation. The historical and cultural evolution of this need, facilitated by the discoveries of the microbiological, chemical, physical, engineering and mechanical sciences, led to the birth of Food Science or the Science and Technology of Food. The main objectives of this science applied to the technological processing of foods were to make the production processes optimal; to guarantee the wholesomeness of food; to guarantee maximum nutritional intake; to improve the sensorial quality of foods and to lengthen the commercial life of the products intended for consumers. This progress has allowed, and allows, to provide safe and nutritious products to the population, adapting over time to the ever-changing needs dictated by the evolution of society and the problems it finds itself facing.
Research in the food technology sector is constantly developing. A development aimed at satisfying both the needs relating to “food security” (accessibility of food to the population), and to ensure the “food safety” (quality and safety). This development is directing scientific studies towards new complementary research fields such as artificial intelligence, such as the development of food technologies aimed at the reuse of raw materials, up to packaging research. Research and innovation, therefore, are decisive for addressing the global challenges related to the production, distribution and consumption of food precisely to create a more sustainable, safe and fair future of the global food system by involving the entire agri-food chain.
There traceability of the food supply chain can be strongly supported by blockchain technology starting from the activities in the field. This is why we talk more and more often about precision or digital agriculture precisely because innovative solutions in the agricultural sector are transforming the way in which crops are grown. agricultural products and the farming management methods. Having precise, real-time data available allows you to act in a timely manner on agricultural systems, reducing waste and preventing the spread of plant diseases affecting cultivated fields. In this complex system, therefore, the synergy between primary production professionals and transformation professionals constitutes an essential union for the development of the agri-food system and for the protection of the most important stakeholders, namely the environment and consumers.
For the Minister of Business and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso: “Thanks to research and technology, in recent years food safety has increased and production costs have decreased, leading both to significant price reductions and to a widespread diffusion of a complete, varied and balanced diet. The food that is on our tables today is the result of continuous innovation which, starting from the best traditions, enriches them, so that they increasingly satisfy our needs”
Gian Marco Centinaio, Vice President of the Senate of the Republic, declared: “Through scientific and technological research we have always been considered the first, so we must dictate the line to others without being too self-referential. The supply chain, from the agricultural world to distribution, must be aware that together we must move in the right direction. In Europe we also need greater collaboration between politics and the private sector, and it is a priority to listen to those in the field to bring the requests to the attention of the European institutions, without flights of fancy and without rules that would create social discomfort”.
Mirco CarloniPresident of the Agriculture Commission of the Chamber of Deputies, stated: “Agriculture will be able to be more competitive and give more profitability to farmers to the extent that there will be a greater transfer of skills which also concern technology and innovation”. Francesco BattistoniVice President of the Environment, Territory and Public Works Commission of the Chamber of Deputies: “Today’s conference has lit a beacon of knowledge on the role that food technologists play along the entire food supply chain to guarantee us safe and sustainable food”.
Sergio Marchi, Chief Technical Secretariat of the Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry, delegated by Minister Francesco Lollobrigida, declared: “Food technologists represent a key figure for the agri-food system. As a Ministry we are convinced that safeguarding the sector is therefore fundamental for the country”. Laura MongielloPresident of the Council of the National Order of Food Technologists: “This initiative, the first of a long series that we will organize together with Federalimentare, aims to build a path aimed at contributing to the management of the complexity of the agri-food supply chain, in the awareness that there is no progress without science, and food science has always played a crucial role in the evolution of society.”
Second Paolo Mascarino, President of Federalimentare: “Food technologists play a little-known but fundamental role, and this conference wanted to focus attention on their importance within food production processes. The technology applied to the food sector has allowed everyone to have access to safe and certified foods, obtained through transformation processes of raw materials that respect their nutritional and organoleptic qualities”. Giorgio De Rita, General Secretary of Censis: “The most interesting fact that emerges today is that Italians’ trust in the food industry is growing despite the many moments of crisis. Trust concerns the progress and technological advancement of the industry which is based on two foundations: the ability to follow changes in consumption styles and an evolving technology with respect to an increasingly complex and sophisticated demand that requires attention, safety and information”.
Marco Dalla Rosa, Department of Food Science and Technology, University of Bologna declared: “We are working in the academic field so that sustainability becomes increasingly central in the industrial and agri-food sector. The work of food technologists is to guarantee increasingly safe products that provide a greater healthy component, a better nutritional and sustainable contribution with the aim of reaching new markets and new consumers”. Second Stefano Zardetto, President of the Order of Food Technologists of Veneto and Trentino Alto Adige (OTAV): “Every day we food technologists must guarantee safe and sustainable nutrition for everyone. We are changing our lifestyle habits, we are consuming beyond the planet’s generative capacity and this is because the number of the population is increasing.”
For Flavio Pezzoli, President of the Order of Agronomists and Foresters of the Province of Rome (ODAF): “Agriculture is by its origin innovation and the farmer is by nature an innovator. New technologies must be able to deal with climate change, the conscious use of chemistry, water saving and the depletion of the soil in organic matter”.