Reducing global food waste is a major issue, with the United Nations estimating that around one-third of all food produced is wasted. This not only represents a huge financial loss, but also has a major impact on carbon emissions and water usage. At this year’s CES technology show in Las Vegas, several startups are showcasing their solutions to tackle this problem.
Avocado Scanner
One such startup is OneThird, founded by Dutch entrepreneur Marco Snikkers. OneThird works with growers, distributors, and other players in the supply chain to predict the shelf life of avocados, tomatoes, strawberries, and blueberries, with plans to expand to other produce later this year. The company is also testing a consumer-friendly avocado scanner at a supermarket in Canada, using optical sensing and AI technology to determine ripeness and display on a screen whether the avocado is firm or ready to eat.
Food Waste Monitor
Another Dutch entrepreneur, Olaf van der Veen, has created a device called Orbisk to help restaurants reduce their food waste. The majority of food waste in restaurants occurs in the kitchen before a meal is even served to customers, so van der Veen’s device uses a camera positioned over a trash can to scan the food being thrown away. The device not only identifies the type of food, amount, and time of day, but also the circumstances under which it was discarded, such as on a plate or cutting board. This information is shared with the restaurant so they can understand their disposal patterns and make changes to reduce food waste, saving money and reducing emissions and water usage in the process. Orbisk is currently being used in commercial kitchens in around 10 European countries, with some clients as far as India.
Food Processing
Reducing the amount of food waste is the ultimate goal, but when food scraps can’t be avoided, it’s important to keep them out of landfills. In South Korea, the 2006 London Protocol banned dumping food waste into the ocean, leading to the implementation of a mandatory composting system. While this has been successful in properly disposing of nearly all the country’s food waste, it requires residents to take their food scraps to designated curbside bins. Hanmi Flexible, a South Korean company, has developed a solution to make this process easier. Their product, Reencle, is a metal bin that uses self-replicating microorganisms to turn food scraps into compost in just 24 hours, reducing the volume by 90%. The company has already sold tens of thousands of units in South Korea and is hoping to expand to overseas markets.
Conclusion
These are just a few examples of the creative and forward-thinking solutions being developed to combat food waste. By using technology and data to make informed decisions about food production and disposal, we can work towards a more sustainable and efficient food industry.
