More than technology: Barbro Fröding on the importance of food ethics

Beyond cutting-edge technology 

Fröding took an interest in the social aspects of food systems because she believes that achieving a successful transformation requires more than developing cutting-edge technologies. Human culture and practices are deeply connected to food; what we eat, how, when and with whom. Considering these social, ethical and health related aspects and how they influence how we produce, distribute, choose and consume food in our everyday lives is just as important as making technical advancements.

“To be useful, new technologies have to be good for someone”, she emphasizes. “Ideally, we want to develop and use technologies that promote well-being, justice, health and various types of sustainability.” To achieve this, the ethical dimensions have to be considered together with technological development. 

Exploring food ethics at PLENTY 

Fröding’s work is mostly with applied ethics, including areas such as virtue ethics, bioethics, medical ethics, and the ethics of cognitive enhancement. She has also published work on good decision-making related to the development and use of technology, with a particular focus on social sustainability. Within the PLENTY research centre, she leads Work Package 3: Society. Together with her colleagues, she will explore a range of important ethical and societal issues, for example:

• identifying conditions for the transition to sustainably produced food and the value controversies and goal conflicts that can hinder the transition.  

• map and analyze justice, fairness and equity aspects relating to the food production chain for new types of food. 

• develop scenarios for the introduction of new sustainable food stuffs. 

• research the effects on nutritional health and well-being connected to new production methods and foodstuffs.  

Collaboration and complex trade-offs 

Many different aspects have to be considered when looking at the food system transformation, and Fröding highlights the importance of different food research perspectives, something she gets from KTH FOOD. “It’s a great learning opportunity,” she says about her affiliation with the centre. “I get to hear about cutting-edge research and have conversations with new and old colleagues that inspire my work.”

From crises resilience and minimizing product loss, to strengthening small-scale food producers, the challenges in the food system are wide-ranging. To ensure that the technologies developed to combat these issues promote all aspects of sustainability, a holistic approach is required – and that includes ethical considerations. Key ethical issues which will be actualized include trust, transparency, explainability, well-being, fairness, responsibility and safety, and it is in this area that Fröding hopes her research can contribute.

There is also a need to address value conflicts that are likely to emerge and hinder the transition of the food production system. Tensions between social acceptance versus environmental sustainability, and consumer freedom versus the development of a robust, resilient, healthy, and sustainable food production system are examples of the trade-offs that must be discussed. These conflicts highlight the complexity of the food system, and understanding and addressing these challenges will be key to building a more just and sustainable food system. 

Written by: Andrea Kron