Trends in Food Research and Development: A Survey of the Commercial Food Industry

摘要

Because all rations envisioned for Army 21 incorporate leading edge technologies, current and anticipated levels of technology in the commercial food industry need to be identified. This report documents a mail survey on food research and development in the commercial food industry. The data collection format selected for use was the mail survey because of the low cost and potential for high response rate. Survey results yielded six major conclusions: (1) food industry research and development budgets are increasing; (2) new product development and new process development remain the thrust behind research and development in the food industry; (3) plastic packaging and aseptic packaging of particulates will play major roles in the food industry during the next 5 to 10 years; (4) major technological breakthroughs are most likely in the areas of flexible packaging and aseptic packaging of particulates; (5) future food products will require only heating to be consumable; and (6) although research efforts in the military and commercial sectors are becoming more similar, important differences remain.