Last Week in Foodtech – Week of August 5, 2024

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There is so much innovation happening in the food and beverage world today that it's often hard to keep up. That's why each week we'll be bringing you highlights of the latest research and developments in food technology, new products, and food and beverage trends affecting the industry in Canada.

Here's a few stories you should know about:

Plant-Based, AI Highlight Innovation Trends at IFT FIRST – Food Business News

Plant-based products and artificial intelligence (AI) were the talk of the town in Chicago at IFT FIRST 2024, the Institute of Food Technologists' annual meeting and food exposition. Tech advancements and new product reveals included:

  • Ingredion launched Vitessence Pea 100 HD, a pea protein that retains the preferred texture and sensory attributes of meat while boosting the nutritional content of plant-based products.

  • Companies like Mintel and Alianza announced new AI tools that help identify ingredient trends, optimize product formulations, and reduce costs.

  • Revyve and The Every Co. revealed innovative egg-replacing ingredients that are developed with upcycled ingredients and precision fermentation.

The Canadian Impact: The integration of AI and food production is a fast-growing space in Canada. Companies like Canvass AI and Mycionics are innovating at this intersection to drive the development of sustainable food products in Canada, enhancing both product quality and market competitiveness.

For more on the topic on YODL: Generative AI and the Food Industry

Scottish company Loch Electronics has launched the Capsule Solo, a second-generation tiny dishwasher designed for affordability and portability, with a starting price of $299.

  • The Capsule Solo is a compact, portable dishwasher that can be plumbed into a kitchen or placed near a sink, making it ideal for small apartments and RVs.

  • The new model is priced $100 less than its predecessor and includes features like a cutlery basket, clean water tank, and inlet and outlet hoses.

  • Following the success of its first-generation model, which raised over $1.2 million, Loch Electronics anticipates strong demand for the Capsule Solo, with shipments expected to begin in December 2024.

The Canadian Impact: The Capsule Solo is the latest arrival in the next generation of consumer kitchen appliances, joining products like autonomous kitchen robots and in-home composting units from Ottawa-based companies Else Labs and Food Cycle Science, who demonstrate that compact size and affordability are key driving forces behind innovative home kitchen tech.

Insects like crickets are emerging as a sustainable protein alternative, with restaurants like Yum Bug in London leading the way in transforming crickets into delicious meat substitutes that taste much like beef or lamb. However, transforming public perception of crickets as a food source remains more challenging.

  • Yum Bug dishes are illustrating how crickets can be a viable and sustainable alternative to traditional meat, with crickets producing significantly lower CO2 emissions.

  • Crickets are highly nutritious, containing around 70% protein when dried, which has them catching the attention of investors, food and agriculture departments, and food companies around the world.

  • Despite the benefits, insect consumption faces challenges including public resistance, ethical concerns, and regulatory hurdles, particularly in the West.

The Canadian Impact: Canada is already home to the world's largest cricket processing facility, and a growing number of Canadian companies, like Naak-an upstart sport nutrition manufacturer-are growing the market for cricket protein as a sustainable (and palatable) ingredient in protein bars and other sport nutrition products.

For more on the topic on YODL: AI + Food – A&L Canada Laboratories: Learn more about the London, ON-based company, and the AI technology they leveraged to help build the world biggest cricket protein manufacturing facility.

Cultivated meat companies are looking to AI and food-grade bioreactors as solutions to overcoming the industry's significant manufacturing and cost challenges as they scale production.

  • Cultivated meat production faces considerable financial hurdles like expensive growth media and a lack of suitable bioreactors, but AI and alternative bioreactors have the potential to reduce costs by up to 99%.

  • AI is being used to optimize bioprocesses, improve efficiency, and accelerate research and development, with technologies like machine learning enabling real-time adjustments in cultivation.

  • Public-private partnerships will be critical to integrating cultivated meat into the food system by advancing the technologies that make it a financially feasible option for both producers and consumers.

The Canadian Impact: Public-private partnerships, like the Institute of Cellular Agriculture at the University of Alberta, are becoming an essential component in advancing the development of cellular food technologies in Canada.

For more on the topic on YODL: IN 30: Commercializing Cellular Food