Food technology

Given that not everyone has the same tolerance for hot chilis, it would be good if there were a simple, portable means of objectively assessing how hot they are. Well, scientists have developed just such a gadget – and it plugs into a smartphone.

Alphabet’s X moonshot factory is a research group working to solve big-picture ideas through technological innovation, and for its latest venture the team is turning its attention to sustainable farming.

We've already heard about so-called "microneedle patches" that are used for the painless and sustained release of medication through the skin. Now, MIT scientists have adapted the technology for the detection of spoiled food.

Unlike many other seafood species, lobsters are typically shipped while still alive. New technology could help them survive the journey, thus reducing the number of extra lobsters that have to be caught in order to provide a "buffer."

Last year, we heard how KFC was introducing a plant-based chicken substitute on its menu. Now, the company is going a step further, by looking into bioprinted meat made from lab-grown chicken cells.

Although ingesting nutrients in tablet form is better than nothing, nutrients are best absorbed if they're part of the foods we eat. With that in mind, scientists have created a supplement for shellfish that boosts their nutritional content.

When shrimp are processed at seafood plants, the resulting wastewater contains a lot of protein. Scientists have now devised a method of harvesting that protein, so it can be used to supplement animal feed or food for humans.

If you're preparing food on an automated production line, then that line had better be clean. A new autonomous robot was designed with this in mind, as it actually learns how to clean better over time.

New research from the University of Massachusetts Amherst is adding weight to a growing body of evidence suggesting the food additive titanium dioxide, also known as E171, can disrupt the gut microbiome, leading to colonic inflammation.

Every year, millions of eggs are rejected for sale in supermarkets, while millions of fruits and vegetables spoil before being eaten. Scientists are now addressing both problems, utilizing rejected eggs to create a coating that keeps produce fresh.

Not all maple syrups are created equal. There are actually over 60 taste categories that syrups fall into, as determined by human taste-testers. Soon, though, a solution containing gold nanoparticles could save those people some work.

As if it's not enough that fresh produce may sometimes be tainted with bacteria, those microbes can get transferred onto other fruits and veggies, contaminating them too. A new coating, however, has been designed to keep the latter from happening.