Agri-food: ENEA uses digital technologies to improve safety and sustainability

The correct use of data and digital technologies to improve safety and sustainability of agri-food was the objective of the European project involving ENEA DRG4FOOD, which contributed to the development of various initiatives in a sector increasingly characterized by high levels of technological pervasiveness. For example, GPS and IoT sensors used in precision agriculture, which enable farmers to make data-driven decisions to improve efficiency and sustainability or advanced tracking systems that can help consumers verify  authenticity and quality of food products.

“Transparency is one of the major advantages of data integration in the food sector,” pointed out ENEA project coordinator Claudia Zoani, a researcher at the Sustainable Agri-Food Systems Division of the Sustainability Department. “Thanks to the use of advanced tracking technologies,” she went on “consumers and companies can achieve complete, end-to-end transparency regarding food origins and processing, thus enabling them to make more informed choices. Furthermore, data-based information is critical for monitoring food safety standards, reducing the likelihood of contamination and ensuring the quality of  food from farm to table.”

During the project, initiatives such as GENIE were developed, aimed at revolutionizing the shopping experience by providing ultra-personalized dietary advice based on genetic, microbiota, and biochemical blood tests coupled with consumer preferences. Or PINACLE, which offers a targeted dietary and nutritional recommendation tool that effectively matches food donations to the specific dietary needs of recipients through an advanced and personalized approach to healthier diets. Or SafeNutriKids, a ‘tailor-made’ food education app based on artificial intelligence, with a focus on digital literacy for children aged 6 to 12.

The DRG4FOOD experience has demonstrated the positive potential of data in personalized nutrition, food traceability and consumer choices.  ENEA has also actively collaborated in the creation of a roadmap that provides clear recommendations to governments, businesses, researchers and civil society on how to use digital tools for protecting people's rights, build trust and bring benefits to all links in the agri-food chain," concluded Zoani.