Food Protection Trends - November/December 2024 - 461

JOHN H. SILLIKER LECTURE
At the same time that we are seeing digital technology changing
at lightning-fast speed, biology is also making rapid advances.
Techniques such as CRISPR technology enables the editing of DNA
and changes to the fundamental characteristics of living organisms.
Pairing such bioengineering with ultracomputing will enable the
development of biological machines. Indeed, Elon Musk is already
pioneering the concept of digitally connecting computer chips with
human brains in his Neuralink company.
The discussion thus far has focused primarily on describing changes
that have occurred over the past 50 years. I would now like to switch to
a discussion of the " so what? " aspects of change. That is, what impact
does change, and particularly rapid change, have on society, and
specifically food safety? The answer to that question is hinted at in the
title of this paper: " Future Shock. "
First, what is meant by the term, future shock? This term was coined
by futurist Alvin Toffler in his (and his wife's) 1970 book of the same
name. The term describes a feeling of shock when one's brain cannot
keep up with change. It becomes a state of distress or disorientation
that individuals or even whole societies experience when subjected
to too much change in too short a period of time. It is characterized
by an overwhelming feeling that the pace of technological and
societal change is accelerating beyond our ability to cope with it. It
should also be noted that Toffler brought up the concept of future
shock in the 1960s and 1970s when things were much simpler and
slower than they are now.
A more obvious area affected by or leading to future shock is the very
thing that is leading to the shock, which is time. Things may be moving
so fast that there may not be enough time to learn new information
and still also learn the fundamentals of a particular topic.
Future shock can also lead to important things being ignored. The
focus on the current exciting new technological developments
may cause some to ignore the basics, such as good manufacturing
practices, proper cleaning and sanitizing, and training.
Training and education are among the areas most challenged by
change and resulting future shock. Some of the ways that education
and training is challenged include:
* Updated Curriculum: Keeping educational content using the latest
technological advancements.
* Instructor Training: Educators may need continuous professional
development to stay updated with new tools and technologies.
* Multidisciplinary Knowledge: Modern food science increasingly
intersects with biotechnology, data science, and environmental
science.
* Information Overload: Students may feel overwhelmed by the sheer
volume of information and rapid changes in the field that they are
expected to absorb.
* Mental Health: The stress and anxiety associated with future shock
can affect students' mental health and learning outcomes. This is
real, and educators need to address.
If educators are to adequately address these challenges in education
and training in food safety, they will need to adopt new cutting-edge
learning techniques, such as online and hybrid learning models,
utilizing interactive technologies, and incorporating technologies such
as virtual reality and augmented reality. As mentioned previously,
educators will also need to be sure not to forget that as they are
teaching the newest technologies and discoveries, they continue to
stress the basics.
So, how does one deal with future shock, particularly in food safety?
First, a big part of the solution is to anticipate future shock and
plan for it. We must understand that rapid change will occur in food
safety just as it does in other areas of life. By proactively addressing
the challenges posed by future shock, educators can better prepare
students for a rapidly evolving field, ensuring they have the knowledge
and skills needed to succeed in the future.
Again, I want to stress the importance of not forgetting the basics
and fundamental practices that help keep foods safe. In an era of
rapid change, foundational knowledge can help " anchor " one and
minimize future shock. However, students (and some professionals)
have a tendency to chase the " next big thing. " In the past, these " next
big things " included such topics as rapid methods, gene probes,
polymerase chain reaction, whole genome sequencing, and most
recently, gene editing. These are all great tools and quite honestly, fun
areas of study. But in the context of this discussion, it is essential that
the goal of safer foods should guide if and how they are used rather
than the novelty of use.
Some other efforts that can help minimize future shock in food safety
education include continuous curriculum development, including
establishing a system for regular curriculum reviews and updates. In
addition, it will be important to partner with industry leaders to ensure
that educational content aligns with current food industry practices
and technologies. This may also drive hiring decisions.
These and other strategies to deal with future shock in the area
of food safety need to be considered as we move forward. This
discussion just scratched the surface in the hope of generating some
thinking and debate.
I will conclude by posing the same question I asked earlier - will
future technological and societal changes advance food safety
- or retard it? The answer is: Yes. Understanding and proactively
addressing rapid change will better enable us to advance food safety.
In contrast, ignoring the impact of rapid change could diminish our
efforts in food safety.
Advances in technology and science applied to food safety have been
very beneficial. However, these advances have come so fast that it
has left some food safety professionals behind. As a result, many of
the fundamentals are being forgotten. This leaves us asking another
question: " How do we cope with these changes such that we advance
and enhance food safety? " Perhaps we need a new paradigm that
demands changes in our most fundamental thinking on teaching and
learning in food safety. A quote by Alvin Toffler may be a good place to
start. " The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot
read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn. "
REFERENCES
* Kurzweil, Ray, 2024. The Singularity is Nearer: When We Merge with AI. Penguin Books.
* Toffler, Alvin. 1970. Future Shock. Random House.
* The Evolution of Food Testing: A Pioneer's Perspective. Food Safety Magazine (10) 2004.
November/December Food Protection Trends 461
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