Food Processing Trends Shaped by COVID-19

When the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, we all became familiar with the assertion that we were “living in unprecedented times.” This peremptory statement became common so swiftly that it was bordering on a cliché (so much so that I must confess to having made use of it too).

Nevertheless, a global pandemic is not an unprecedented event, and, while devastating by almost any measure, the emergence and spread of infectious diseases with pandemic potential occurred regularly throughout history.

When it happened in the past, once the dramatic phase was passed, numerous innovations found their way to the market. It is, in fact, known to most that, in the Chinese language, the word “crisis” is composed of two characters, one representing “danger” and the other, “opportunity.”

While it is too early to assess the long-term impact and foresee the future of the food industry after COVID-19, some trends are already clearly visible.

Automation

TheCOVID-19 pandemic gave food processors a strong motivation to consider automation, in many cases accelerating preexisting trends. Many of these technologies are not only replacing labor (due to the challenge of workers getting sick while operating throughout the process), but they are enhancing efficiency and quality.