Smart and sustainable food: what is ahead

Food systems are evolving to support sustainable food security. In this chapter, we aim at discussing the role that digital technologies play, especially those with the potential to provoke deep changes. The ongoing revolution in this field has given birth to the so-called Agrifood 4.0. Our interest lies also on the impact of digital technologies in the food chain, from production to consumption, especially the case of food loss and waste. In fact, the growing use of ICT in this field may generate game-changing effects, which can be positive or negative, affecting productivity, sustainability, and other aspects. We consider both present and future scenarios, looking at the potential of novel techniques - as for instance 3D printing of food, use of blockchain, and smart packaging - taking into account the sustainability criteria proposed by the Agenda 2030 of the UN to assess the changes on tasks and procedures all along the food chain.