Nestle has launched Iron Man, a program aimed at developing Nespressos that studies a person's levels of essential nutrients to deliver drinks that satisfy those nutrient requirements.
Researchers at the Swiss company are using the program to cater to the needs of individuals, according to Quartz.
"In the past, food was just food. We're going in a new direction," said Ed Baetge, director of Nestle's Institute of Health Sciences (NIHS), which is working on the program.
Nestle, the largest food and beverage company in the world, is looking to use new foods and beverages to treat metabolic, brain and gastrointestinal disorders, Bloomberg reported. More than 110 scientists at NIHS are working on different projects, such as molecular biomarkers of obesity and finding connections between vitamin and mineral deficiencies and diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and other illnesses.
"Iron Man is an analysis of what's missing in our diets, and a product, tailored to you, to help make up that difference," Baetge said.
Iron Man was started late last year, and 15 scientists are currently involved in the program, Bloomberg reported.
Luis Cantarell, head of Nestle Nutrition, said the company's research on personalized nutrition can result in "business propositions that today we cannot imagine." However, he said Nestle predicts that it will be another five to 10 years before fully customized foods become a reality.
Baetge claimed that products created from Iron Man would be able to treat vitamin and mineral deficiencies more effectively than supplements currently being sold in drugstores. Nestle is looking to build a device that would provide these benefits, which could possibly help treat Alzheimer's, Kwashiorkor and other illnesses. The device would be designed to help people make healthful food without having to go grocery shopping, The Verge reported.
"Out comes your food at the press of a button," Baetge said. "If we do this right, it can be the next microwave in your kitchen."
