Improvement Strategies of Food Supply Chain through Novel Food Processing Technologies during COVID-19 Pandemic

• SLR is conducted using PRISMA approach and148 articles are selected and critically analyzed. • The results show the extent of digital technologies adoption in agriculture. • The potential benefits of digital technologies and roadblocks hindering their implementation in agriculture sector are identified and discussed. • The study will positively impact the research around agriculture 4.0. Agriculture is considered one of the most important sectors that play a strategic role in ensuring food security. However, with the increasing world's population, agri-food demands are growing — posing the need to switch from traditional agricultural methods to smart agriculture practices, also known as agriculture 4.0. To fully benefit from the potential of agriculture 4.0, it is significant to understand and address the problems and challenges associated with it. This study, therefore, aims to contribute to the development of agriculture 4.0 by investigating the emerging trends of digital technologies in the agricultural industry. For this purpose, a systematic literature review based on Protocol of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses is conducted to analyse the scientific literature related to crop farming published in the last decade. After applying the protocol, 148 papers were selected and the extent of digital technologies adoption in agriculture was examined in the context of service type, technology readiness level, and farm type. The results have shown that digital technologies such as autonomous robotic systems, internet of things, and machine learning are significantly explored and open-air farms are frequently considered in research studies (69%), contrary to indoor farms (31%). Moreover, it is observed that most use cases are still in the prototypical phase. Finally, potential roadblocks to the digitization of the agriculture sector were identified and classified at technical and socio-economic levels. This comprehensive review results in providing useful information on the current status of digital technologies in agriculture along with prospective future opportunities. 

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The digitization of agricultural industry – a systematic literature review on agriculture 4.0

With the introduction of Industry 4.0, and smart factories accordingly, there are new opportunities to implement elements of industry 4.0 in nonthermal processing. Moreover, with application of Internet of things (IoT), smart control of the process, big data optimization, as well as sustainable production and monitoring, there is a new era of Internet of nonthermal food processing technologies (IoNTP). Nonthermal technologies include high power ultrasound, pulsed electric fields, high voltage electrical discharge, high pressure processing, UV-LED, pulsed light, e-beam, and advanced thermal food processing techniques include microwave processing, ohmic heating and high-pressure homogenization. The aim of this review was to bring in front necessity to evaluate possibilities of implementing smart sensors, artificial intelligence (AI), big data, additive technologies with nonthermal technologies, with the possibility to create smart factories together with strong emphasis on sustainability. This paper brings an overview on digitalization, IoT, additive technologies (3D printing), cloud data storage and smart sensors including two SWOT analysis associated with IoNTPs and sustainability. It is of high importance to perform life cycle assessment (LCA), to quantify (En)—environmental dimension; (So)—social dimension and (Ec)—economic dimension. SWOT analysis showed: potential for energy saving during food processing; optimized overall environmental performance; lower manufacturing cost; development of eco-friendly products; higher level of health and safety during food processing and better work condition for workers. Nonthermal and advanced thermal technologies can be applied also as sustainable techniques working in line with the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and Agenda 2030 issued by United Nations (UN).

https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/11/2/686/pdf

Internet of Nonthermal Food Processing Technologies (IoNTP): Food Industry 4.0 and Sustainability

The quiet revolution in machine vision - A state-of-the-art survey paper, including historical review, perspectives, and future directions

The food processing and handling industry is the most significant business among the various manufacturing industries in the entire world that subsidize the highest employability. The human workforce plays an essential role in the smooth execution of the production and packaging of food products. Due to the involvement of humans, the food industries are failing to maintain the demand-supply chain and also lacking in food safety. To overcome these issues of food industries, industrial automation is the best possible solution. Automation is completely based on artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning (ML) or deep learning (DL) algorithms. By using the AI-based system, food production and delivery processes can be efficiently handled and also enhance the operational competence. This article is going to explain the AI applications in the food industry which recommends a huge amount of capital saving with maximizing resource utilization by reducing human error. Artificial intelligence with data science can improve the quality of restaurants, cafes, online delivery food chains, hotels, and food outlets by increasing production utilizing different fitting algorithms for sales prediction. AI could significantly improve packaging, increasing shelf life, a combination of the menu by using AI algorithms, and food safety by making a more transparent supply chain management system. With the help of AI and ML, the future of food industries is completely based on smart farming, robotic farming, and drones.

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Opportunities of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in the Food Industry

Emerging technologies such as computer vision and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are estimated to leverage the accessibility of big data for active training and yielding operational real time smart machines and predictable models. This phenomenon of applying vision and learning methods for the improvement of food industry is termed as computer vision and AI driven food industry. This review contributes to provide an insight into state-of-the-art AI and computer vision technologies that can assist farmers in agriculture and food processing. This paper investigates various scenarios and use cases of machine learning, machine vision and deep learning in global perspective with the lens of sustainability. It explains the increasing demand towards the AgTech industry using computer vision and AI which might be a path towards sustainable food production to feed the future. Also, this review tosses some implications regarding challenges and recommendations in inclusion of technologies in real time farming, substantial global policies and investments. Finally, the paper discusses the possibility of using Fourth Industrial Revolution [4.0 IR] technologies such as deep learning and computer vision robotics as a key for sustainable food production.

Basivi Praveen Kumar

Papers

A critical review on computer vision and artificial intelligence in food industry