Breathing on smartphone to determine healthy diet is the future, report says

Personal devices could be enabled with ‘BreathTech,’ offering insights into foods one should be eating, report says

People’s diets will be bespoke to their individual nutritional needs by 2040, according to a report for Deliveroo (Eggmedia PR/PA) (PA Media)

Breathing on your smartphone to help determine a healthy diet, and virtually tasting your takeaway before ordering, is the future of food delivery, according to a report.

Consumers should expect personal devices to be enabled with “BreathTech”, allowing “a deep level of insight” into the foods you should be eating to provide optimal health and well-being, a report commissioned by delivery brand Deliveroo suggests.

The Snack to the Future report, a look at how innovation in food, science and technology could shape how we eat by 2040, also predicts “hyper-personalised” diets which are “fully bespoke to your individual nutritional needs” will be powered by artificial intelligence (AI).

It suggests a life-long AI “buddy” will help automate and tailor what you are eating based on preferences and needs at any given time.

Predicted trends include “edible beauty” products such as anti-ageing ice cream and the chance to dine from hormone-balancing and dopamine-driving menus.

Virtual reality dinner parties will allow consumers to create their dream dinner parties, which could involve eating with celebrities, royals and late loved ones at a favourite holiday destination, or recreating food moments from a film scene, the report predicts.

Virtual and augmented reality could further be used to trick consumers who are not keen on eating vegetables or other healthy food into thinking they are eating chocolate or sweets instead.

But counter to this, experts suggest “restorative restaurants” will move towards removing outside distractions by banning personal devices, alongside a rise in silent dining and only offering tables for one to encourage mindful eating.

As we look towards the next decade and beyond, Deliveroo will continue to create exciting new innovations in food delivery, build new and better consumer experiences and take Deliveroo beyond functionality and convenience to really capture the passion and emotion of food

Deliveroo chief executive Will Shu

Meanwhile, alternative staples to corn or maize such as amaranth, fonio, sorghum, teff, khorasan, einkorn and emmer are all predicted to be mainstream in 2040.

And an increasing demand for alcohol alternatives could see a rise in the popularity of “wine” cordials, which mimic the taste and flavour profile of real wine.

Deliveroo chief executive Will Shu said: “As we look towards the next decade and beyond, Deliveroo will continue to create exciting new innovations in food delivery, build new and better consumer experiences and take Deliveroo beyond functionality and convenience to really capture the passion and emotion of food.”