INGENIEUR
INGENIEUR
Source : modified from Tetra Pak
Thus , the key to food security is the continuous and systematic access to sufficient quality and quantity food for the global population . A 2022 World Bank analysis report noted that due to the impacts of Covid-19 pandemic many countries are facing widespread increases in global food insecurity , disruption of food supply chains , increase in transportation costs and the shocking increase in food prices to near all-time highs . Owing to Covid-19 uncertainties , the outlook for global food security is of significant concern for many countries worldwide . It was noted that although digital transformation has gradually been implemented in the food processing industry , the unfortunate occurrence of the Covid-19 pandemic has dramatically accelerated the rate of change .
The application of smart solutions and innovative Industry 4.0 technologies to adapt to the new work pandemic SOPs whilst optimising production costs is the logical way to go for this essential industrial sector to survive in these challenging times . Owing to the critical needs worldwide , community-centred engineering research should thus be accorded high priority in addressing issues on sustainable food security which includes efficient food processing , identification of alternative food supplies and the improvement of viable agri-food supply chain setups .
Highlights on the positive benefits of Industry 4.0 community development-centred research applications towards sustainable food security include improved production ,
monitoring , traceability , task automation , predictive maintenance , quality control , consumer preferences projection , real-time customer demands and strategic rapid management decision-making on overall business setup .
Other advantages of innovative cyber-physical ( Industry 4.0 ) systems research include the minimisation of unintentional wastage due to food rejects during production complemented by the identification of alternative and safe food products which meet the nutritional needs of the global population . These much-anticipated engineering innovations would be most useful , not only in Malaysia but worldwide , to successfully enhance food security to an efficient and sustainable level .
Waste Management Engineering
Waste generation has been increasing dramatically around the world . The World Bank reported that a shocking 2.01 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste are generated by the global community every year ; which works out to ¾ kg per person worldwide . With an expected exponential surge in population growth , the projected global increase in waste generation is expected to increase by 70 % to 3.4 billion tonnes by 2050 .
Landfill sites for the storage of waste are becoming scarce . The good news is that with continuous progress in waste management technology research , each tonne of recycled paper represents a savings of 64 % in energy savings , a
76 VOL 98 APRIL - JUNE 2024