10 Applications of AI in Food Industry

The food industry is an eminent sector that deals with our basic need - food. From packaging to the production of food, the industry employs various technological equipment to keep up with its day-to-day tasks. 

 

Thanks to technology and the importance of the food industry, this sector has advanced at every forefront in terms of quality, efficiency, and speed. The way it has emerged from a comparatively slower industry has made the food industry and its evolution quite commendable. 

 

The day-to-day tasks in the industry vary from the segregation of food ingredients to the packaging of them in order to deliver them to their customers. This requires technological aid at every step of the way. 

 

As more automated processes have emerged in the industry, the regulation of the industry has become more efficient. However, the total absence of manual labor is impossible as technicians and quality managers are required to evaluate the production process at every step of the way. 

 

This makes us curious as to how various technologies like AI, machine learning, or big data analytics can be employed in the food industry. Many scholars have argued that the total replacement of humans with machines can lead to a catastrophe that might eventually push humans towards famine. 

 

Yet, years of experience have only pointed to the direction that machines and automated equipment can substantially improve the way the industry operates. 

 

“As it is in many industries, artificial intelligence (AI) is making huge waves in the world of food and beverage. More and more organizations within the industry are recognizing the potential of AI to drive greater efficiency and profits, reduce wastage and provide protection against supply chain disruptions. “

- Growth of AI in Industrial Sector 

 

This wave of transformation can be witnessed in the upcoming segment that talks about the applications and uses of AI in the food industry. 

 

Applications of AI in Food Industry

 

When it comes to the food industry, the applications of artificial intelligence are quite divergent. As is the case in other sectors, AI can be gently used in the industry throughout the process, i.e. from procurement to production to packaging. Given below are the top 10 applications of AI in the food industry. 

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Applications of AI in Food Industry

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1. Trend Analysis

 

The very first use of AI in the food industry is that it helps FMCG businesses to analyze the prevalent customer demands and desires. 

 

On the basis of big data analytics and machine learning models, AI can extract useful insights pertaining to the needs and desires of the customers that lead to product development. 

 

This stage is very essential as businesses must choose a product that is most likely to become a success in the consumer market. AI is the force of change that gives businesses the confidence to launch a certain product with various characteristics. 

 

Using the technique of trend analysis, food businesses can serve the customer needs efficiently and correctly target the right audience present across the market. 

 

2. Efficient Speed

 

One of the biggest benefits of AI in the food industry is that it induces a speedy process in the production process. Unlike earlier when humans had to perform all the processes by hand, the food industry witnessed numerous mishaps and a slow production rate across the year. 

 

However, with the coming of AI and automated machines, machines can rapidly produce greater outcomes and produce more products at the same time. This, in turn, benefits the business houses and generates more revenue. 

 

“By using such types of systems, industries gained some advantages such as faster production rate, high-quality yielding, and labor cost cutting.”

- AI in Speedy Production 

 

3. Quality Inspection

 

Another tedious task that was earlier handled by humans is quality inspection. The food industry is all about quality and maintaining the right standard as prescribed by the regulatory authorities. 

 

However, with the mass production of food items and products, quality can seldom be hampered and ignored. But, this is not a drawback when the production process runs in compliance with AI-empowered machines. 

 

That said, AI algorithms and tools can be trained and customized to check for various parameters so that quality is ensured. This particular task can also be done with minimal errors as machines only accept a certain range of quality. 

 

4. Controlled Cultivation

 

Even though the process of cultivation is not entirely a part of the food industry, it still largely impacts the finished product and its quality. Cultivation requires growing food crops to use them in the production process afterward. 

 

Owing to weather changes and alternate conditions, sometimes crops can fail and lead to a poor quality yield. This can be managed and ‘controlled’ using controlled cultivation. 

 

By employing AI in food science and technology, controlled cultivation can be performed. This leads to a controlled quality that is predetermined by the cultivator to prevent any crop damage under controlled environmental conditions. 

 

5. Smart Sensors

 

How would you feel if every time a machine failed to work, you could get an alert or a notification? Satisfying, right? With the help of smart sensors driven by AI, the food industry and its processes can be timely monitored and managed. 

 

From the very beginning to the final stage of producing and packaging the finished product, smart sensors keep an eye throughout the clock in order to report if something wrong or unusual happens. This can refer to anything and everything including quality defaults or electric cutoffs. 

 

The use of AI in the food industry with regard to smart sensors is particularly a boon for all food industries as they not only help in the detection of unusual activities but also negate the idea of quality inspectors throughout the production chain. 

 

6. Investigative Exploration

 

Faults are inevitable in any type of industry. Be it in the food industry or a clothing manufacturing plant, problems can occur at any point in time. However, it is possible that the causes for these defects might be unknown. 

 

Using AI, food industries can investigate such cases and explore the hidden reasons behind any mishaps. By studying past data records and evaluating them, AI applications can perform investigative exploration and yield results rapidly. 

 

This saves substantial time for dedicating resources to other processes and leaving no stone unturned. 

 

7. Segregation

 

One of the most important steps to getting started with food production is food segregation. Separating and sorting food ingredients is required for an efficient and organized production process. 

 

Earlier to segregate, humans were employed to perform the task manually. On the contrary, customized machines using AI algorithms are used today to segregate food materials that are later mixed to produce products. 

 

The task of segregation was a time-taking process in the past. But, today it requires lesser time and lesser efforts which has led to substantial preservation in resources of the industries dealing with food production.

 

8. Tracking Food Supply Chain

 

Ever wondered how tracking a courier takes place? Even though you have been doing it for a while, artificial intelligence introduced this technology long before anyone knew about it. 

 

Similar to the task of tracking a courier or a parcel, food businesses can track the supply chain to ensure that their raw material is moving in the right direction and at the right speed. 

 

A lot of times, raw materials get displaced or dispatched to other locations. This can severely affect the production process by delaying the final outcome. From packaging material to production ingredients, food manufacturers can now track food supply chains with the help of customized AI applications and portals. 

 

9. Automated Packaging

 

As we move towards the latter part of the production process, we must discuss how AI has transformed the packaging process in the food industry. 

 

As opposed to the traditional system of packaging products where a team of 2 would place items in a box and seal the box, the current scenario has drastically evolved with the emergence of intelligence automation.  

 

Today, automated machines are aware of the exact quantities that they have to release in the packaging container and take less than a quarter of a minute to pack a set of items. 

 

That said, automated packaging machines are another one of the biggest advantages that AI has provided to the industry. With the help of fast and efficient machines, packaging has become a lot more smooth and speedy. 

 

10. Predictive Management

 

Lastly, predictive analytics using AI technologies in the industry cannot be left out when its impact is being discussed. For ages, food industries have suffered huge losses only because they were unaware of the future consequences of certain practices. 

 

From crop failure to electricity cut-offs, food industries can be affected in many ways. To prevent such crises, predictive analytics helps food industries to employ predictive measures in order to forecast possible outcomes. 

 

This has helped many such industries to prepare themselves for otherwise unforeseen circumstances. 

 

The power of predictive analytics can take the food industry a long way as it is empowered with the ability to foresee and predict numerous possible situations. 

 

Future of AI

 

The future of artificial intelligence is expansive as it has so much to develop into. Yet, the kind of evolution it has triggered in various sectors is the real determinant as to how prominent it can become in the coming years or decades. 

 

With the rise of the metaverse and other technological advancements, AI and machine learning will likely take over the human ability to determine, develop, and dedicate resources in the right direction. 

 

To sum up, AI has its own set of pros and cons. But, it is an unsaid fact that it has fastened the way technology serves us and satisfies our desires for the time being. 

 

Even if we only consider the food sector, this technology has achieved a milestone in kickstarting the process of automation, adaptation, and autonomy. Gone are the days when humans had to stay around to keep an eye on the machines. 

 

Thanks to AI, machines are capable of monitoring themselves and other machines too which has drastically changed the nature of workload on us. 

 

Despite the lump sum employment of machines in the industrial sector, humans are still required to keep up with the day-to-day challenges which proves that AI has a long way to go in order to fully replace us as the leaders.