Review of empirical studies on food process innovation: Status quo and future research agenda

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of empirical studies on process innovation in food through a systematic review of 63 articles published in English in several research journals. The main purpose is to understand the status quo of process innovation in food industry, suggest future research agenda, and propose a framework for describing food process innovations. The review is guided by Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). This study argues that reviewed literature has not adequately addressed process innovation in the food industry, especially with orientation to financing structures and financial performance. Moreover, the specific measurement scale for process innovation in the food industry is lacking. This paper enlightens scholars and practitioners in the agri-food industry on the current situation of process innovation and avenues for advancement. The major contribution of this study is the proposed framework for describing food process innovation. Several research agendas are suggested. The need for developing a specific measurement scale for food process innovations is contended.