Harnessing Industry 4.0 in Food and Nutrition: Trends, Challenges, and Future Direction

Abstract

The fast-developing Industry 4.0 has brought about shifts into our food and nutrition systems with automation, data analytics and digital connectivity. This systematic review investigates how IoT, AI, robotics and blockchain interact with each other on the relation between food systems and safety, traceability and personalized nutrition. In accordance with the PRISMA framework, 68 studies (2013–2025) were synthesized across food production, processing and nutrition settings. Results indicate that Industry 4.0 technologies increase transparency, save 20-40% wastage, and make precision nutrition possible through predictive analytics but some obstacles exist such as cost, infrastructure and regulation. This review presents a cross-sectorial view of digital transformation in food and nutrition systems and identifies research priorities in the path towards human-AI collaboration, sustainable innovation in Industry 5.0.