Kitchens of the future could fundamentally change food processing industry

Think a Thermomix is impressive? How about kitchen appliances that shop for meals, monitor dietary needs and even 3D-print food on demand? We can expect these features from the kitchen appliances of 2050, according to the Institute of Food Technologists’ (IFT’s) FutureFood 2050.

If such changes are in store for consumers’ kitchens, what will the food processing industry look like in 2050? Companies may need to radically change their offerings to keep pace with changing needs if consumers no longer need to purchase food that’s already processed from supermarkets.

“Cooks will have much more personalised control over their appliances [by the year 2050],” said Lou Lenzi, industrial design director for GE Appliances. “They will be able to connect their ovens to smartphones or tablets, program the ovens to prepare food the way they like it and share recipes with friends.”

A smart fridge could alert you to the fact that you’ve left your lunch at home and order something similar for you from a nearby cafe, then inform you of the missing ingredient you need to pick up on the way home for tonight’s dinner.

This could also significantly change the way home kitchens look, with perhaps just a 3D printer required rather than multiple appliances and lots of bench space for preparation.

Electrolux Design Director Thomas Johansson says we may not even need a separate room for kitchens by 2050. Instead, the elements that make a kitchen as we know it could be incorporated into the living room, with embedded appliances disappearing into walls and working surfaces.

He suggests the fridge could be a series of storage spaces set into a living room wall, each of which uses a vacuum system to extend the life of the food inside. Each piece of food could be wrapped in smart plastic with nanosensors which communicate storage instructions to the fridge.

A futuristic smart oven could monitor the humidity and internal temperature of the food it is cooking, sounding an alert when your steak is cooked perfectly.

Throughout 2015, FutureFood 2050 will feature 75 interviews with food and science leaders. Topics include sustainability, women in food science, food security and nutrition in Africa, aquaculture, futurists on food and innovative agriculture. To read these interviews, visit www.futurefood2050.com.