Earlier this year I looked at a fascinating use technology to reduce food waste.  A number of IoT based projects are under way to sense the health of produce as it makes its way from field to store.

One interesting approach comes via Switzerland’s Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, who have developed a sensor that is shaped like a piece of fruit so it can travel alongside real fruit and ‘spy’ on the conditions in the pallet or crate.

The sensor is designed to simulate the real fruit as closely as possible, not only in its size but also its composition.  The fake fruit is then packed in with the real stuff and travels along with it, with data emitted that can be analyzed to gauge the temperature of the crate during transportation.

Accurate representation of each fruit is achieved by X-raying the produce, with an algorithm then used to create the average shape and texture of the fruit.  The researchers then determine the exact composition of the fruit’s flesh and simulate this in the lab.  This is then sent to a 3D printer, where a mold is created complete with sensors inside to record the data.

Suffice to say, whilst the approach is undoubtedly accurate, it is at a very early stage and has issues to resolve.  For instance, the data is not currently capable of being transmitted wirelessly to supply chain managers, and the cost of each sensor is around £40, so not only is it relatively pricey, but real-time analysis is not currently possible.

One company that’s attempting to bring this to market is California based Zest Labs.  Their technology doesn’t aspire to the same level of granularity as the Swiss project mentioned above, but founder Peter Mehring is nonetheless confident that the improvements they do offer provide all stakeholders in the supply chain with significant value.

Indeed, he suggests that initial applications of their technology have allowed retailers to save roughly half of the 18% of produce that goes to waste, thus representing a significant boost to their bottom line.

Smart sensing

Both of these approaches require IoT technology to sense changes in the composition of the produce, but a Chinese project aims to provide similar insights via the humble smartphone.

The Changhong H2 has been developed by a consortium consisting of Analog Devices Inc (ADI), Consumer Physics and Sichuan Changhong Electric Co. (Changhong).  The device is designed to allow users to scan any material and receive information regarding its molecular make-up.

Whilst the product is not designed with agriculture in mind, the possibilities are clear, especially as the algorithm becomes stronger as more data is uploaded.