Mapping technological maturity and evolution in food innovation using patent analysis

The advancement of food technology is driving transformative innovation across diverse areas, including biotechnology, smart packaging, and IoT-enabled food monitoring. This study presents a patent-based analysis of emerging trends, technological maturity, and industrial applications within the food sector. Drawing on a dataset of 86,888 patents, we applied K-Meansmeans clustering was applied to identify 15 distinct technological clusters, each representing a specialized domain. To assess development stages, we conducted S-curve lifecycle analysis, categorizing was then used to classify technologies into emergence, growth, maturity, or saturation phases. We also employed Porter’sPorter Value Chain frameworkanalysis was employed to map these technologies to various stages of food production, processing, and distribution. The analysis shows that clusters such as Mixing and Grinding Equipment and Food Packaging Coatings and Films are currently in their growth phase, offering strong potential for continued development. In contrast, IoT-Enabled Food Drying and Cooling Systems and Food Packaging Machinery have reached maturity, and eight clusters are identified as being in the saturation phase. The results emphasize how the convergence of digitalization, biotechnology, and sustainability imperatives is reshaping the technological landscape of food systems. These insights carry strategic relevance for industry leaders, policymakers, and researchers, informing decisions related to investment, regulation, and innovation management. The study contributes a structured, data-driven roadmap for understanding food technology evolution and guiding the alignment of commercialization strategies with sustainability goals.