Smart and Sustainable Food Technologies

This book presents a comprehensive view of emerging smart technologies in various food processing sectors. Specifically, it covers smart technologies applied in food production, food manufacturing, food packaging, storage, distribution, and food supply chain. Contributing authors are the key scientists with diverse backgrounds in either industry or academia.


The book contains four parts with four chapters each, presenting recent smart technologies developed in their respective areas. Part I primarily focuses on the recent smart food production innovations such as precision agriculture, vertical farming, automation, robotics , livestock technology, modern greenhouse practices, artificial intelligence, and block chain that dramatically increase the quality of raw materials for the food industry. Part II provides the current knowledge and developments related to the recent smart technologies in manufacturing pertaining to various food sectors, non-thermal food preservation technologies, and 3D printing, developed for the food manufacturing industries that improve the organoleptic and nutritional quality, enhance chemical and microbial safety, as well as cost-effectiveness and convenience of processed foods. Part III covers smart technologies to ensure food safety in the supply chain, with monitoring and surveillance of food contamination, use of IoT and blockchain for food traceability and neural network approach for risk assessment. Part IV provides expert opinions on using smart technologies for minimizing waste and maximizing co-product recovery in food processing; upcycling technologies in food and sustainable value stream mapping in the food industry.


This book will be a useful resource to graduate/undergraduate students and researchers in advanced food technology, practicing technologists/engineers in the food and related industries, food packaging industry, entrepreneurs and other scientists and technologists in smart and sustainable processes who seek information on design and development of these processes.

Dr. Shalini Sehgal: At present, Dr. Shalini Sehgal is working as an Associate Professor in the Department of Food Technology at the Bhaskaracharya College of Applied Sciences (University of Delhi), India. Dr. Sehgal holds a Doctorate in Dairy Microbiology from National Dairy Research Institute (N.D.R.I), Karnal, India.She has 23 years of experience in the field of academics and research along with administration. She has been awarded the Award of Excellence in Food Technology by AATSEA, Thailand and Society of Applied Biotechnology, India and Best Teacher Award by the State Government of Delhi, India. She is the former Director, Quality Assurance and Food Fortification at Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), GOI. Her area of interest is Food Safety and she is trained in Laboratory Quality Management Systems (as per ISO 17025), HACCP Implementation, IS 22000: Food Safety Management System and Food Safety & Food Hygiene. Also has expertise in Container Integrity and undergone training by USFDA at their Alameda Lab, California, and USA. She has worked as National Food Safety Consultant with WHO and also undertaken projects on safety aspects of street foods, fresh produce and probiotics. Dr. Sehgal has authored two books in the area of Chemical and Microbiological testing of Food and chapters on different areas of Food Microbiology and Food Safety. She has published her research work in journals of repute. She has introduced the concept of Better Process Control School in India for the food industry professionals in collaboration with USFDA, India office. Dr. Sehgal has been instrumental in introducing Food Safety as a core subject across India. Currently , President , AFSTI , Delhi Chapter and member of Technical and Regulatory board of AIFPA along with board of studies of different universities. 

Dr. Barinderjit Singh: He earned a B.Tech (Food Technology), M.Tech. (Food Engineering and Technology), Ph.D. (Food Technology) and MBA (Operation Management). Apart from this, he also holds to his credit PG Diploma in Dairy Technology, Diploma in Export Management and certificate, diploma, Advance Diploma in the French language. He has more than 14 years of work experience in both academics and the food industries. Currently, he is working as an assistant professor (Food Technology) in the Department of Food Science & Technology at I. K. Gujral Punjab Technical University, Punjab, India. He has contributed over 54 scientific papers in different national/international journals and conferences in the area of food science/technology/engineering. Currently, he also served as vice-president of the ICASR: International Council of Applied Science Research, International Centre for Research and Innovation, Eudoxia Research Centre, India.



Dr. Vasudha Sharma: She is working as Assistant Professor in the Department of Food Technology, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India. Dr. Sharma obtained her PhD in Food Process Engineering from IIT Kharagpur, and has more than 10 years of teaching and applied research experience in food processing technologies. She has published widely in the areas of functional foods, non-dairy probiotics, process optimization and nanobiosensors for food safety. Dr. Sharma has guided more than 50 M.Tech students for their dissertation and has 7 PhD students’ in progress. She has over 20 research publications, 12 book chapters, 1 book, 5 popular articles and 3 patents (filed) to her credit. Currently, Dr. Sharma has Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and National Project Implementation Unit (NPIU)-TEQIP funded research projects in the area of non-dairy functional probiotic product development. Dr. Sharma has received Centre for Quality and Food Safety (CQFS) Award 2021 on World Food Safety Day 2021 and has served as Member of Expert Committee for drafting academic curricula for Food Safety education in India. Dr. Sharma is also involved in several extension activities in the area of food safety. She is also currently, serving as the Vice President of AFSTI Delhi Chapter and Executive member for WICCI Delhi Food Processing Council.