Taking into account that we will reach the number of 9.8 billion inhabitants in 2050 and food supply chains will become more complex, the need to make production processes more transparent increases dramatically.
Real time information of product ingredients , as well as the distribution processes they have gone through, would allow locating and removing from supermarkets any food that could have a risk for consumer health, just in few seconds.
At this point, technology must play a fundamental role. Not only to optimize control procedures, but also to make it economically accessible to all types of companies. That is the reason why, from Consentio, we want to publish which technologies will be key in the future of food security.
One of the technologies that has been advancing the most in recent years is the information gathering sensors. Very sophisticated devices capable of collecting, processing, analyzing and storing data, throughout the entire food chain. From tracking a product from the supermarket to the consumer's home, to identifying the crop's soil microbiome through DNA and advanced computer technology.
A very interesting sensor is Sequoia, a system composed with a high-precision camera and a GPS, which is attached to a drone and detects all kinds of details about a plantation from a bird's-eye view. Capturing from insect pests to ultraviolet rays to which the product is exposed.
Biosensors capable of predicting the state of a product, even before its collection. Helping to prevent disease and save huge costs avoiding the harvest of contaminated food that would ultimately end up in the trash. The use of data acquisition technologies is extended even to retail outlets, for example smart shelves are capable to detect the manipulation of a product by a customer.
The main goal is the complete traceability of the product, clear and precise information on the journey from the field to the table, investing in quality and safety through technology.
The true potential of these sensors arises from their connectivity and the capacity of information analysis to make intelligent decisions, in a more efficient and effective way. In future publications we will talk about the Internet of Things, Big Data, BlockChain ...
