3GE Collection on Food Science: Bioprocessing Technology in Food and Health

Bioprocess technology is an important part of biotechnology that deals with processes in which all living matter or its components are combined with nutrients to produce specialty chemicals, reagents, and biotherapeutics. These processes form the backbone for translating life science discoveries into useful industrial products. The various phases of bioprocess technology include substrate and media preparation, biocatalyst selection and optimization, mass production, downstream processing, purification, and final processing.

This E-Collection on Food Science Bioprocessing Technology In Food and Health will address the latest topics in environmentally friendly bioprocess technology. Bioprocess technologies include bioenergy from lignocellulose materials, biomass gasification, biofuels/bioproducts production from agro-food waste, enzymatic bioprocess technology, food fermentation, bioprocesses optimization scale-up, and modeling.

The food and bioprocessing industry presents various difficult technical and scientific challenges, especially to provide safe and high-quality food in a highly efficient and responsible approach. Recent studies have shown that the use of nanomaterials is a way to partially or fully solve these challenges. Among the increasing applications in terms of applied science in food bioprocessing is the application of nanocomposites in numerous areas such as food quality, systems for good food packaging, and nanoencapsulation of bioactive food compounds. Man's neoteric demands for food, health, and environment have consequently necessitated the deployment and use of many sophisticated materials and methods to meet these demands on an economical scale. The introduction of applied science based on production facilities, particularly in relation to food companies and companies with alternative bio-based processes, has encouraged the use of nanomaterials; polymer nanocomposites (PNCs) are outstanding.

Bioprocess, a technology based on biocatalysis, is becoming common in several areas of analysis and is widely used in industrial production. However, low bioconversion, low productivity, and high prices in industrial processes sometimes limit bioprocesses. One of the biggest challenges food analysis faces in this century is maintaining its own food production and supplying high-quality food and dietary supplements.

While the world population is steadily increasing, the capacity of Earth to renew its resources is continuously declining. Consequently, the bioresources required for food production are diminishing and new approaches are needed to feed the current and future global population. In the last decades, scientists have developed novel strategies to reduce food loss and waste, improve food production, find new ingredients, design and build new food structures, and introduce digitalization in the food system.
In this book, we provide a general overview of the circular economy, alternative food production technologies such as cellular agriculture, and new sources of ingredients such as microalgae, insects, and wood-derived fibers. We present a summary of the entire food design process with creative problem solving that drives food innovation and digitalization in the food sector such as artificial intelligence, augmented and virtual reality, and Blockchain technology. Intended for a wide audience, this book covers a wide spectrum and provides insights into the latest advances in the field of food science and technology, providing examples from both academia and industry in terms of concepts, technologies, and tools that may help the world achieve food security in the years to come.