AUTHOR=Abdurrahman Emadaldin Elfatih M. , Ferrari Giovanna 

TITLE=Digital Twin applications in the food industry: a review

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems

VOLUME=Volume 9 - 2025

YEAR=2025

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sustainable-food-systems/articles/10.3389/fsufs.2025.1538375

DOI=10.3389/fsufs.2025.1538375

ISSN=2571-581X

ABSTRACT=With the rapid growth of today’s market, food processing industries are compelled to adopt advanced solutions to ensure product safety and quality, reduce costs amidst low-profit margins, guarantee timely delivery of an increased demand for product preferences, and enhance sustainability. To cope with these challenges, Digital Twin (DT) technology has emerged as a promising solution. Due to the relative novelty of this technology, research on its application within the food processing industry remains limited, necessitating additional studies to better understand its potential and multifaceted role from different perspectives. This review analyzes existing studies on DT applications in the food industry, discussing the concept, benefits, and challenges hindering its full adoption. On this basis, this study contributes to the existing body of knowledge on DT by identifying the state-of-the-art within the food processing industry and categorizing use cases from both industrial and academic contexts. Further, it explores the DT from a sustainability perspective, emphasizing its role in optimizing resource utilization for more efficient and sustainable food processing. Furthermore, the study examines its potential as a versatile tool to support sustainability initiatives within the industry. Lastly, it discusses the future impact of DT in shaping the evolution of food processing.