The AI behind your dinner: How machine learning and sensors are redefining food production

Did you know that one-third of all food produced globally, around 1.3 billion tons, is wasted? We consumers are part of the problem. But there are solutions, and artificial intelligence (AI) is at the heart of many of them.

Food production demands enormous resources, especially meat production. Throwing away one kilogram of beef is equivalent to wasting 15,000 liters of water, large amounts of feed, land, and causing significant emissions. The UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) puts it like this:

"Reducing meat loss is among the most effective ways to reduce the environmental footprint of food systems."

Households account for a large share of food waste. But a lot of food is also lost before it even reaches our plates. This includes fruit and vegetables discarded due to appearance, animals dying from disease or stress, and mishandling and hygiene issues during processing.

Solving this requires improvements across multiple stages of the food supply chain, and it needs to happen fast. By 2030, the global population is expected to reach 10 billion. We'll need to produce significantly more food, but we won't have enough water, energy, or land.

AI makes a difference

One company actively tackling these challenges is Munters.

Today, Munters plays a key role in food production, not only by helping produce and store food, but also by improving conditions for animals and plants. With advanced controllers, they can automatically adjust heating, cooling, and ventilation systems on farms and in greenhouses.

Previously, the focus was mainly on connecting farms using these controllers. But with AI, sensors, and Internet of Things (IoT) systems, the entire food supply chain can now communicate, enabling better decisions at every step, from farm to fork.

"By connecting the entire value chain using our controllers and new technologies, we can address a wide range of issues, from animal welfare and waste to biosecurity and traceability," says Pia Bräntgärde-Linder, President at FoodTech.

So how does It work in practice?

Several of Munters customers supply chickens to international markets and must meet specific weight requirements. If the chickens are too heavy or not heaby enough, financial penalties apply. With Munters software, weight can be optimized, reducing both food waste and costs.

Munters also contributes to more efficient and sustainable egg production.

"One of our customers hatches around 50 million eggs per week. Unfortunately, not all hatch. We're talking about 1 to 2 million eggs per week. That's a huge amount of food waste," says Pia.

The reasons for this can vary, from temperature conditions to genetics. It's difficult for humans to understand how everything is connected, and that's where AI and machine learning come in. By collecting and analyzing data with algorithms, it's possible to predict what's causing the issues.

A tool for the entire food chain

Munters climate and animal data from breeding operations provide insights that can improve feed planning, purchasing, fine-tuning indoor climate for animals, predicting meat quality, optimizing the cold chain, reducing food waste, and ensuring quality at delivery.

"Ultimately, our vision is for every step in the supply chain to be fully connected," says Pia.

Traceability and conscious choices

Another important part of Munters' work is traceability. Consumers increasingly want to know where their food comes from, how it was produced, and how it was transported.

"Traceability will become even more important in the future. My hope is that customers will be able to walk into a store and access all the information they need to make informed choices and thereby reduce food waste at home.

"With our startups, universities, customers, and other partners across the value chain, I believe we can make a real difference in society. I find that both exciting and inspiring," Pia concludes.

Learn more about how we work with the food and agriculture industry.