Abstract
A reduction in the quantity of food items after harvest has been identified during its transition
through the supply chain as one of the key causes of post-harvest losses resulting in substantial
economic losses. In recent years, the demand for fresh food has risen considerably in the global
economy. The industry is replacing the conventional manual classification by intelligent
sorting to accommodate this demand and also to prevent the detrimental effect of pre-treatment
operations on fresh foods. Although there is a general reduction in food security worldwide,
food security and nutrition in Africa are still declining. Acute food insecurity in Africa is rising
and has caused considerable damage to lives and livelihoods over the past decade. This has
affected the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal of reducing hunger in Africa.
This research work explored the different applications of modern technologies for food storage
with the view to evaluating the measures to ascertain how these technologies can be adopted
in South Africa. To achieve this, this research work adopted the quantitative research method
whereby a structured questionnaire was designed to retrieve information from the target
population. The questions were closed-ended so that there was a uniform basis for the
respondents to rate the variables on a five-point Likert scale. The population for this research
work were food analysts, food producers, food designers and developers, food engineers, food
processors, food safety officers, food technologists and food panellists in the South Africa food
manufacturing sector. The collected data were analysed using various analytical approaches.
Descriptive statistics were used to analyse demographic information of the respondents and it
was represented using charts while the study objectives were analysed using mean item score
(MIS), exploratory factor analysis and non-parametric tests. Reliability and viability tests were
carried out to ensure the data collected were suitable to achieve the objectives set for the study.
Findings from the study revealed that there are various modern technologies that can be used
for food storage, including controlled atmosphere storage, vacuum packaging, and modified
atmosphere packaging. These technologies have been found to be effective in preserving the
quality and safety of food products, reducing food waste, and increasing shelf life. The study
concluded that food storage is a critical aspect of the food supply chain, and modern
technologies have significant potential to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of food
storage systems. It was therefore recommended that there is a need to raise awareness among
stakeholders, including food industry professionals, policymakers, and consumers, about the
benefits of modern technologies in terms of food safety, resource efficiency, and economic
outcomes.