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Food Informatics and its Challenges and Opportunities- A Review
P.K. Paul 1, P.S. Aithal2, A. Bhuimali 3
lDCIS, Raiganj University, West Bengal, India, prantoshkpaul@gmail.com
2Vice Chancellor, Srinivas University, India
3Vice Chancellor, Raiganj University, Raiganj, West Bengal
India
Corresponding Author: P.K. Paul, Email: prantoshkpaul@gmail.com
Abstract—
Informatics is an important domain that deals with several kinds of information activities by the
manual knowledge organization tools as well as computational tools. Informatics deals with
many foci and it also has many domain dependencies. Informatics may also concentrate on other
domains and in this way new domains may be created. The integration of Food Science with
Informatics provides Food and Nutritional Information solution. Food Informatics may be treated
as a practicing field for Organization of Information, Infrastructure building which includes
designing and development of Information Systems, Enterprise Resource Planning, Decision
Support Systems, Documentation solution with the help of manual tools and computerization
systems for the Food and Nutritional facets. Till Food Informatics as a subject not received a
wide scale of popularity but yes it has healthy possibilities to become an important
interdisciplinary subject. This conceptual paper provides an overview of the possible role,
challenges, and issues of the domain.
Keywords—
Information Systems, Informatics, Food Informatics, Issues, Nutrition, Malnutrition,
Development, Health, Public Health.
Introduction—
Informatics is an important field of applied science which deals with the collection, selection,
organization, processing, management as well as dissemination of information related to any
International Journal on Recent Researches In
Science, Engineering & Technology
(Division of Informatics)
A Journal Established in early 2000 as National journal and upgraded to International journal in 2013
and is in existence for the last 10 years. It is run by Retired Professors from NIT, Trichy.
It is an absolutely free (No processing charges, No publishing charges etc) Journal Indexed in
JIR, DIIF and SJIF and Approved By UGC.
Research Paper
Available online at: www.jrrset.com
ISSN (Print) : 2347-6729
ISSN (Online) : 2348-3105
Volume 5, Issue 9,
September 2017.
JIR IF : 2.54
DIIF IF : 1.46
SJIF IF : 4.33
International Journal on Recent Researches in Science, Engineering and Technology, Vol.5, Issue 9, Sept 2017. ISSN (Print) 2347-6729 ; ISSN (Online) 2348-3105.
47
system and for that, it takes the help of several techniques and technologies. It is a kind of
mechanism required for the information processing and management. Based on the knowledge
cluster Informatics may create a new domain, for example, the combination of Informatics and
Medical Science results in Medical Informatics. Similarly, integration as well as affiliation of
Informatics with Food Sciences, have the potentialities of a new discipline called Food
Informatics.
Objective—
The core main aim as well as objective of this study includes but not limited to the following—
To know about the basic formulation of Food Informatics including its nature,
characteristics, and features.
To learn more on challenges, emerging trends as well as issues of proposed and possible
Food Informatics in contemporary scenario.
To learn about the emerging and future role of Food Informatics for better health, food
and nutritional science practice and deeply healthy nutrition science development.
To find out the possible and emerging tools and technologies of Food Informatics and
allied domains.
To learn about the core characteristics of the Food Informatics and Food Information
Science in details.
Informatics: Fundamentals—
Based on foci, Informatics may classify different way these are maybe concentrated on Social
Science or may be as Pure Science, Bio Science, Managerial Science. Food Informatics deals
with the Information as well as Documentation of Health and Medicine related affairs.
Informatics is synonymous with the Information Science [1], [5], [7]. In academia, Informatics
and Information Science both are common terms. Informatics has to deals with many tools and
technologies and that include but not limited to the Database, Web Systems, Multimedia,
Networking Systems, and so on. Informatics is responsible for the designing and development of
smart, intelligent, and healthy Information Systems creation, development, and up gradation.
Informatics is the way for information as well as the technological solution.
Food Informatics: An Overview—
Food Informatics is a kind of mechanism and system which is responsible for designing and
development of an information repository. In Food Informatics several things have been possible
and these include the territory, possible processing opportunities from the food, marketing
strategy etc. Designing and development of information systems or more simply Informatics is
possible with the support from various technologies such as database technology, communication
and networking technology, web and usability engineering [2], [3], [8]. Food Informatics may be
International Journal on Recent Researches in Science, Engineering and Technology, Vol.5, Issue 9, Sept 2017. ISSN (Print) 2347-6729 ; ISSN (Online) 2348-3105.
48
treated as an interdisciplinary subject which is dedicated to the collection, selection, organization,
processing, management, and ultimate dissemination of the information. Food Informatics is
mainly restricted to Processing and management on Food and Nutrition related information. Food
Information Systems may be treated as working area of Food Informatics having the dedication to
build Information Infrastructure as well as systems. The core possible task of the Food
Information Systems include but not limited to the—
Collecting as well as selecting Information in the field of food as well as nutrition science
or simply on nutrition. It is required for dealing and delivery of nutritional benefits, as well
as the availability of processing technologies related to food.
Generating and creating a repository on nutrition and health based on users need is an
another important function of a food information systems [4],[6], [9].
Building food information systems powered by Food Informatics tools is another important
matter which also depends on user demand as well as expectation.
Food Informatics is deals with combined Information Centre as well as similar foundations and
established. Food related contents and information, tools and technologies as well as Users i.e.
common people is the core requirement for building a sophisticated food information systems.
Food marketing is another important need for the creation of Food Informatics Unit/Food
Information Systems and also a platform for storage, dissemination or processing, and marketing
(Fig: 1 is helpful to clear the whole concept as well).
Fig: 1- Basic dealing and dependencies of Informatics
Informatics
Collection
Selection
Organization
Processing
Management
Dissemination
Integrating Technologies
Database
Technologies
Networking
Technologies
Web
Technologies
Communication
Technologies
Information on
Health, Food,
Nutrition etc
International Journal on Recent Researches in Science, Engineering and Technology, Vol.5, Issue 9, Sept 2017. ISSN (Print) 2347-6729 ; ISSN (Online) 2348-3105.
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Key Opportunities, Challenges and Issues on Food Informatics—
Applications—
Some of the possible applications of food and nutrition Information Systems are include (but not
limited to)—
Collection and selection of content and information on Food and Nutrition is an important
matter. Thus Government may get actual information and data on food. Moreover, food
safety is an important matter for which Food Informatics may be applied [5], [11].
Delivery of food and nutritional information among common mass is an important an
example of Food Informatics uses. Hence creating awareness regarding the foods and fruits
(even information on several vegetables, non-veg. etc.).
With the applications of Food Informatics in general as well as common people may get
health and medicinal benefits which include the food and fruit or vegetable.
Food Informatics is a cooperative means for designing and building of sophisticated Food
as well as medical informatics of a particular region and territory.
Food Informatics is also responsible for the creation of mission fulfillment of a territory by
the use of healthy food information systems [11], [13].
Food Informatics is also helpful for the young academicians (including teachers, student,
and researcher) in the field of food science, nutrition science, agriculture, horticulture, as
well as other allied sciences.
In Clinical and medical segments among the staff members physician and allied health
professionals may utilize food information systems benefits. Here they may get nascent
information on food and nutrition.
Improving and developing Public health is the core agenda of any nation and with the
integration of real Food Informatics in community development projects it is very much
easier to achieve such objectives.
Collecting information on Nutritional benefits of traditional foods and vegetables etc. is
helpful for nutritional product manufacturing companies.
Challenges & Issues—
There are many issues and challenges fall under the Food Information System or Food
Informatics and that may include (but not limited to)—
Designing and Building of Food Information Systems is a vital criterian which needs skill
and knowledge of the domain concerned i.e. Food and Nutrition etc.
International Journal on Recent Researches in Science, Engineering and Technology, Vol.5, Issue 9, Sept 2017. ISSN (Print) 2347-6729 ; ISSN (Online) 2348-3105.
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Database, Web development, Networking, Communication, and their integration is very
much important and valuable for designing an error free and sophisticated Nutritional
Information Systems.
Food Information System is helpful for the common people and thus better human
computer interaction (HCI) and usability engineering is essential for healthy results [10],
[12].
Regarding farmer and agriculturist, Food Information System is able to offer market
related information of different varieties of foods around the world. Significantly for better
market strategy, Food Information System is required.
Food processing industries may gain solidly with better Food Information System practice
and it helps in better and healthy connection and interact each other.
Funding is a big problem everywhere and from early stage healthy information
infrastructure designing and building is required [12], [14].
There are many benefits of Food Information System but practically for creation of
awareness among the common people but there are many challenges waiting for.
It is essential to offer program, training, and full-fledged degrees on food information
systems, food informatics in the universities, colleges etc.
Planning and initiatives of government is very much essential. Moreover, collaboration and
joint venture between food/health or computing, information department or ministry as
well as between different countries etc. are highly appreciated.
It is important that among the food and nutrition experts, teachers etc. awareness on Food
Information System is highly compulsory [5], [15].
Further Potentialities—
For promoting Food Informatics one of the important tools is Web 2.0. It is actually a procedure
dedicated for online communication among the user at any time. Here the user may share contents
and information including audios, videos, text, and pictures between dedicated users. Depending
upon need, where users can share their views any time i.e. contents depending upon requirement
& request. Some of the networking sites such as Facebook, Orkut are kind of web 2.0 site. There
are various web 2.0 domains such as education and web- Education 2.0, Social work with Web
2.0 having the possibilities of Social Work 2.0, Medical, and Web has created is Medical 2.0.
Similarly, Health 2.0 has originated from the combination of Web Systems and Health Field [5],
[16].
Thus there is a potentiality of integrating Web 2.0 in the field of food and nutrition science. And
that concept may be flourish as Food 2.0 or Nutrition 2.0. Hence the further development of Food
International Journal on Recent Researches in Science, Engineering and Technology, Vol.5, Issue 9, Sept 2017. ISSN (Print) 2347-6729 ; ISSN (Online) 2348-3105.
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Science and Nutrition may purely depend on Nutrition 2.0. It may be treated as a tool for creating
consciousness as well as awareness on following—
Food Safety,
Food Nutrition,
Public Health,
Hygienic and so on.
Better and healthy communication of the academician along with researchers of the concerned
and allied fields such as food science, nutrition science, agriculture, and food engineering etc. are
positively possible with the initiation of Food 2.0 or Nutrition 2.0 [6], [17]. With such platform, it
is possible to create an open accessible website and thus in most of the cases, anyone can register
with this. Improvement of the entire food infrastructure is positively possible with this Food 2.0.
Creating awareness regarding the nutritional benefits of several fruits or vegetables (including
non-vegetable item), juice etc. are positively possible with the application of Food 2.0 or Nutrition
2.0. It may consider as a promotable media for reducing food habits and creating awareness
regarding the foods which are harmful and injurious to the health. Differences between Food 2.0
and food information systems is that—―Food 2.0 is a kind of web platform or website responsible
for sharing of information and contents on food as well as on nutrition to the general public
(including food expert to some extent) to the common public. However, Food Information System
is a kind of Health Informatics mechanism responsible for information dealing related to Food as
well as nutrition and repository [8], [16]. Food Informatics or Food Information Systems may be
started as a subject of interdisciplinary bio sciences in the departments such as Bio Sciences, Food
Sciences, Nutrition Sciences, Food Technologies, Home Sciences, Information Sciences,
Information Systems etc. with Major. However, initially, program may be started as Minor
program.
Findings—
Food Information System may be considered as a tool as well as an interdisciplinary
domain integrated by the Food Science and Information Sciences.
Development of Food Information Systems or Food 2.0 is responsible for bringing of Food
hygienic environment, Food safety, food information as well as awareness.
Healthy Public Health is also responsible for the creation of sophisticated Food
Information Systems and Food 2.0 tools.
Better communication among food expert and professionals are positively possible with the
initiation of Food 2.0.
All the stakeholders of food and nutrition science are responsible for information and
communication and here Food 2.0 is an important name.
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For the development of a true India (or any other country), Food 2.0 is very much
important and essential.
Need based creation of DBMS, Networking, and communication technologies are essential
for designing and development of Food Information processing much smarter.
Awareness regarding the Food 2.0 and Nutrition 2.0 is limited not only in developing
countries but also in developed countries, in many ways.
Initiatives and awareness regarding the Food 2.0 and Nutrition 2.0 and whole Food
Informatics are very much limited from the side of administrative and Government.
Conclusion—
Apart from Food 2.0 or Nutrition 2.0 platform, another important tool for promoting Food
Informatics is Nutrition Information Networks. It is a grid dedicated to various kinds of nutritional
activities such as collection, selection, organization, processing, management, as well as
dissemination. Information and contents regarding nutrition basically organized for general
people, professional, academician with the help of Nutritional Information Networks. In better
Food Informatics practice Nutritional information systems may also be treated as an important
name and helpful for solving adequate, optimum and good nutrition, nutrition stages, diet control,
nutritional care, malnutrition and preparation for sophisticated nutrition and so on buying
adequate information delivery. A healthy Nutrition Information Networks is also responsible for
building smart health system to the society in which common people may get nutritional benefits
various ways. Collecting as well as storing nutrition and food related information and sources are
the core for successful Food Informatics practice. It is urgent that Government should establish a
health policy on Food 2.0 and Nutrition 2.0, Nutritional Information Networks for the
establishment of a healthy Food Informatics Infrastructure and to bring a Healthy Digital Health
Society.
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