Edible Invisible

This year’s Embassy of Food was all about the invisible aspect of our food. Microbes are everywhere and until recently we did not realise how much influence they have on our lives. Designers explored how we could use our knowledge of the role of micro-organisms in the digestive tract, in soil and food production. Will we soon be able to treat Alzheimer’s and depression with a diet?

Exhibition Edible Invisible

It is designers who can help us develop this new twist on bacteria and food. The exhibition Edible Invisible, curated by food designer Marije Vogelzang, offered designers the space to do this. An exhibition about society and culture, about our approach to hygiene and the future of food. Are we going to inject all our food with probiotics? Can we influence the taste of food by adding certain bacteria during growth? And what can industry do with these insights?

The exhibition had two components. Students from the Design Academy Eindhoven’s Food Non Food department worked on one part. Under the direction of Tom Loois and Mara Skujeniece, they presented an interactive experience that allowed visitors to experience the effect microbes have on us. The other half of the exhibition introduced visitors to nine projects by international designers working with food.

Future Food Design Awards

Besides Edible Invisible, the Embassy of Food presented the finalists of the Future Food Design Awards. This award, initiated by The Dutch Institute of Food & Design (DIFD) in collaboration with Agri Meets Design, was presented for the second time in a row this year. This award aims to showcase designers who have an important and innovative view of the food system. The FFDA invites designers from around the world to submit their ideas and projects.

Lectures and interviews

During DDW, an afternoon of lectures and discussions was organised by DIFD about the Future of Food & Design, and a series of live interviews with designers.

Visitors and media

About 6,000 people visited the Embassy of Food this year. Various media have reported on the Embassy, including VPRO, Nu.nl, WDCD and Mold.

The Embassy of Food 2018 was organised by Dutch Design Foundation and Design Academy Eindhoven, together with Zagenzagen.nl and media partners Mold and Design Indaba.