Research and development represents a vast spread of topics and can be an arena for controversy. In academia, such controversy may stem from conflicting interpretations of data and subsequent conclusions, the question of who was first to discover a particular finding and whether or not the said finding is of any value to the scientific community. R&D in corporate environments is mostly defined and driven by costs and clearly identified, consumer-focused targets. There is, however, common ground between these two approaches as both strive to maximize knowledge, though for different reasons and in differnt ways. The equipment and scientific rigor may be similar or identical, however their usage, approach and interpretation are different.

This book discusses the history and background of today's food industry R&D as seen by consumers, academia and the industry itself, with several chapters dedicated to new and disruptive approaches. A must-read for all professionals in the packaged goods industry as well as students who aspire to contribute to this new industry, forcefully driven by R&D.

Helmut Traitler has a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of Vienna, Austria. In 2010, after decades' of experience with Nestlé in various roles around the world, Helmut co-founded Life2Years, Inc, a start-up company producing healthy beverages for the over-fifties.

Birgit Coleman holds a Master of Arts in Business, MA from the University of Applied Sciences, Vienna. She is a strategic thinker and Connections Explorer in her current role at Swissnex San Francisco.