Engineering for Food

The end of the 20th century and the global realisation that nature’s resources are finite introduced two new dimensions, other than growth and profitability, to the food industry namely; Environmental and Sustainability issues.

A recent report from the Ellen Mc Arthur foundation entitled “Cities and the Circular Economy” for Food puts a number on it; for every $1 spent on food $2 is incurred to produce it.

The need to re-engineer our existing food system from a consumer’s perspective, future population and urbanisation growth and or a greater societal cost creates no doubt that a fundamental rethinking and radical redesign of the entire food chain and its practices is required.

“At the heart of re-engineering is the notion of discontinuous thinking—of recognizing and breaking away from outdated rules and fundamental assumptions that underlie existing operations. Unless we change these rules, we are merely rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic”.  Hammer & Champy.

Given societal costs and consequences as related to current global food production unless we re-engineer the industry from farm to fork then Hammer’s apt metaphor applies. 

Unlike other engineering disciplines, there is still no universally accepted definition of the term Food Engineering in place! (Kostaropoulos AE. Food Engineering within Sciences of Food).

Our IAgrE member Daniel Hefft, a passionate food engineer defines food engineering as:

“Food Engineering is a technical multidisciplinary profession that deals with the system and structures of food, production processes as well as physical, (bio)chemical and biological transformation processes. It is based on scientific laws and economical, ecological and social, cultural and religious norms.”

IAgrE seeks to promote food engineering as a worthwhile and rewarding career and aims to do this by: 

• promoting food engineering as its own discipline within the wider engineering profession
• promoting the need to change existing food production methods into more sustainable and environmentally attuned methods in harmony with the agricultural/biosystems engineering community – its historic home
• liaising with academia to recognise and research the need to develop to promote food engineering
• improving communications within food engineering communities/ opening up new channels
• building international partnerships around food production and process
• supporting food engineers in the development of their career and work towards professional registration
• promoting food engineering as a worthwhile and rewarding career
• supporting and creating events in the field around food engineering

Food engineering related courses may be studied in the UK at:

University of Nottingham:      MSc Food Process Engineering

Teesside University:   BSc (Hons) Food Technology and Engineering

                                    MSc Food Process Engineering

Sheffield Hallam University: BSc (Hons) Food Engineering

If you want to get in touch with us, please contact  IAgrE member Daniel Hefft or Jahinder Momi or Associate Prof at Nottingham University Séamus Higgins.