Food is the direct motivation for everyone. From animals to human, food is the only factor that unites us all. Even things that might seem very complex like politics, geographical issues, wars, or financial issues can be explained by using the power of food.
According to the World Health Organization, almost 1/3 of the world’s population goes to sleep hungry. You might be thinking it is all about not predicting enough food or decline in food quality but in real life, it is more about sorting out food. Countries that produce enough food can cartel their supply; they look for ways to gather power via the steady supply of food to countries that can benefit them. These countries would rather dispose of extra food in the sea than donate the food to needy countries.
On an individual level, the food waste is so high because of bulk buying that a single household ends up contributing about 20 – 50% of their total purchased food into the dump. The food waste ratio is alarmingly high in developed countries but as we head toward the low-income countries, this food waste is reduced to half.
While most experts believe that buying in bulk is one of the biggest contributors to increasing food waste, others believe that not estimating the requirement or greed can be a leading reason. Regardless of what you conclude, this piling food waste is not just contributing to health issues but also becoming a major reason behind hostility and growing animosity.
Just like most of the other problems in the world, everyone has turned to technology for a solution. From helping in increasing the shelf life to easing the delivery options, technology is helping in resolving major problems. Thanks to AI, cultivation, production, storage, and shelf life of food have increased by tenfold. With the right use of technology, the contribution of AI, and a good internet like Optimum Internet, you can make a difference at an individual level as well.
The Use of AI in the Food Industry
Food Safety in Production
Food produced in big markets, frozen food companies, and restaurants takes immense care. One bad batch, one badly cooked bone or just one affected chicken will end up killing hundreds of people. The food authorities have recorded multiple salmonella poisoning and bacterial positing cases over the years and the number is only increasing every day. However, with the US of AI now, food and inspection can be automated. More companies are using automated techniques to clean, cook, and prepare food so any risk of another breakout can be decreased. Food items are now thoroughly checked with no human involvement at all, which eventually helps in improving the quality of food and its life.
Food Supply Management
Food supply in big marts and the food cultivation, industry is maintained by just using rough estimates. This means that a wrong move, emergency or an infection break out can kill crops leading to serious consequences. However, with the use of AI, the soil quality, seed quality, weather conditions, and overall seasonal patterns are used for predicting the food production quality and quantity. This also helps the farmers in reducing the risk factor so they can find a way to sort and store food.
Food Consumption Estimate
Bulk buying helps in saving money but when you buy more than you can use, it leads to food waste which eventually means you are wasting money as well. With the help of AI, you can gather data on your daily food usage and as the AI keeps learning about your food habits, it will make grocery lists for you with quantity so you can buy just the right amount of food. This helps discourage bulk buying so you can save money in the long run.
Improving Shelf Life
You have the means to buy food but you do not know how to store it properly, it will go bad in no time. To ensure that your food has a better shelf life, there are different AI tools that can increase the shelf life of food. Big food marts, food companies bulk food-manufacturing companies use AI to make sure that food can be consumed for a long time. This is the reason you will get to enjoy seasonal fruits throughout the year. From taste to PH and even color, almost everything is preserved so food retains its original state.
Controlling Food Environment
Controlling the food production has everything to do with its environment. While most experts focus on controlling the food environment only during its production, others believe that controlling the storage environment is equally important. When you bring your food home, why does it go bad within a few days? To resolve this issue, there are so many different websites and apps that can help you calculate the age of food. Finally, the age of food can help in predicting the overall food quality and predict its life so you can figure out ways to increase the shelf life eventually.
Bottom Line
To sum it all up, food is a tricky business. Right from cultivation to harvesting, preparation, and supply, perishable food items need to be carefully sorted. With the use of AI, food waste will be decreased while making sure food distribution is even and food quality is good.
