and manufacture, almost unprecedented in human history. Currently, the average per capita daily food consumption across the
world is 11 600 kJ per person per day, with 20% higher intake in developed countries and 20% lower in underdeveloped/developing
regions (Alexandratos and Bruinsma, 2012). If this level of consumption remains the same through mid-century, then the
planet will need an additional 3.1 1013 kJ day1 by 2055 in order to feed the additional mouths! World agricultural output
will need to expand 60–70% by the middle of the century to meet this increased demand for food (Floros et al., 2010; Alexandratos
and Bruinsma, 2012). To address this formidable challenge, the agro-food industry must undergo a twenty-first century revolution,
much like the agricultural revolution of the eighteenth century, but in a sustainable manner. The term ‘sustainable’ is often
used in reference to the environment and natural resources, but the term has greater plurality than just ecology. In summary, the
World Bank defines sustainability as management of activities and resources to ensure that the average quality of life we enjoy
will be shared by all future generations (http://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/sustainabledevelopment/overview#1 (accessed
26.07.15.)). The term thus encompasses environmental, social, behavioral, economic, demographic, and geopolitical aspects. As
the agro-food industry enters a twenty-first century revolution in a world experiencing massive change, including unpredictable
and dramatic climatic events, it must develop approaches that recognize the plurality of sustainability, and food science will
play a critical role.