According to The New York Times, restaurants and grocery stores are now using artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze what they throw away to combat food waste.
A smart trash can from Kitro. Photo: Kitro
Food waste is a big problem in the US in particular and globally in general. According to Insider, approximately 30% to 40% of food in the US is not eaten and is thrown away. Much of that wasted food ends up in landfills instead of being processed.
To combat this waste, companies are training AI to analyze waste from restaurants and grocery store purchases to determine which food — and how much of it — is being wasted. remove. They can then use the data to decide whether to buy less of a certain product based on how much is sold or consumed versus thrown away.
For example, Afresh uses AI to track inventory and grocery shopping. The company sets goals “eliminate food waste and make nutritious food more accessible”, theo CEO Matt Schwartz.
Winnow takes a similar approach with restaurants. The company installs cameras above trash bins, which are then monitored by AI to assess which food goes to waste and how much is discarded.
With data in hand, restaurants can buy smaller quantities of food that ends up in the trash, or even remove those items from the menu entirely. Winnow says it has helped restaurant kitchens cut purchasing costs by up to 8% by monitoring trash and waste disposal.
The problem of food waste is real, especially as the global population grows, expected to exceed 9 billion by 2050. People living in poverty are spending 50% to 80% of their income on food. food, according to the United Nations Environment Program. Reducing food waste can reduce pressure on water supplies and reduce deforestation, the agency said.
(Theo Insider)