Master students at FINEST in the spring of 2024

Amirhadi Zakeri & Yiming Lei

Title: AI in the Swedish food Industry: A focus on primary production.

The thesis project will address the following three research questions:

1. What is the current state of AI adoption in the food industry, and how are AI technologies being applied?
2. How is AI being utilized in the Swedish food supply chain?
3. Considering primary production as the start point, how can AI integration be harmonized throughout the Swedish food chain?

The purpose of this thesis is to generate insights which can support stakeholders throughout the Swedish food industry, and primary producers in particular, in navigating the rapidly evolving technological landscape brought by AI, as well as contributing to academic understanding of the challenges surrounding this dynamic industrial context.

Supervisor: Thomas Lennerfors

University: Uppsala University 

Algernon Wang 

Title: A Study of Insect Consumption in South Korean and Japan for Sweden's Potential Adoption of Insect-Based Diets

The consumption of insects on the global level is not high and could be potentially higher in replacement of meat as a protein source, and the research would look into how insects could potentially be introduced into a developed country, such as Sweden, looking from an angle of countries which are already consuming insects, such as South Korea and to a certain extent, Japan.

To address this, Algernon will examine the historical trajectory of insect consumption in South Korea, analysing its evolution from its inception to its current ubiquity. By delving into societal attitudes and cultural factors, he aims to elucidate why insect consumption has endured as a common culinary practice in South Korea even after the initial impetus, such as food scarcity post-war, has waned. Similarly, he will investigate the trend of insect consumption in Japan, contrasting it with the South Korean experience. Despite also being introduced as a post-war necessity, insect consumption has not gained the same traction in Japan and is often relegated to a historical relic rather than a significant dietary component. Through Systems Thinking and Comparative Analysis, Algernon seeks to identify key differences and insights that may inform strategies to promote wider acceptance of insect consumption, potentially in contexts like Sweden, where such practices are not yet mainstream.

Supervisor: Thomas Lennerfors

University: Uppsala University 

Petter Betsén and Philip Gerber

Title: Digital Transformation of the Food Industry: Navigating Growth and Scaling in Mission-Driven Enterprises

Today, there are many studies describing how companies grow and scale up their digital platforms. However, there is a lack of knowledge on how so-called 'mission-driven companies should proceed. Therefore, the study aims to gain insights into how mission-driven companies within the Swedish agricultural and food industry balance profitability and alignment with their vision during the growth and scaling of digital platforms.

This will be investigated based on Mylla and Skira, both of which operate a digital platform focused on the agricultural and food industry. Mylla's vision is to empower producers and they enable products to be sold directly from manufacturer to end consumer, with prices set by the producer. Skira aims to increase transparency by offering a service where grain producers can easily sell their product on an auction platform to their buyers.

Supervisor: Linus Thomson

University: Chalmers University of Technology

Aaqifa Shaikh

Title: Enhancing pea protein concentrate’s properties via post-treatment methods and assessment of their environmental sustainability

Pea protein upon extraction is in the form of powder, specifically of 2 types i.e., isolate and concentrate, the former being high in protein content (~ 90%) whereas the concentrate accounting for 50- 70%. Wet fractionation, a method of extraction for pea protein isolate is energy intensive and requires the use of chemicals as process aids, which is not good for the environment, however the protein content is 90% and it is easier to texturize. On the other hand, dry fractionation, is an environmentally friendly option requiring less energy and no additional  chemical , used to create pea protein concentrate. We are trying to investigate by which post- treatment methods we can make the protein concentrate to mimic the isolate quality based on current knowledge. A life cycle assessment will be performed to check which post- treatment method is better.

Supervisor: Marta Bertolino

Co-supervisors: Karin Östergren and Edoardo Desiderio

University: Università degli Studi di Torino, Lund University, University of Warsaw

Sreedevi Nallithodi

Title: Environmental impact of novel protein sources - a systematic literature review

What are the current trends, advancements, and knowledge regarding novel protein sources like fungi, algae, and fermentation, in terms of their environmental sustainability? How do these sources compare environmentally, considering factors like land use, water consumption, energy requirements, greenhouse gas emissions, and biodiversity impacts? What knowledge gaps exist, and how can future research address these to inform evidence-based decision-making and policy formulation. With the help of a systematic literature review for some selected product groups - tentatively mycoproteins, i.e. proteins produced by fermentation, and algae - available information on land use, water consumption, energy use, greenhouse gas emissions and impact on biodiversity will be collected and analysed.

Supervisors: Marta Bertolino, Karin Östergren, Edoardo Desideiro

University: University of Turin, Italy