Is AI About To Revolutionise Foodtech?

• Published date: 25 April 2023
• Subject Matter: Intellectual Property, Food, Drugs, Healthcare, Life Sciences, Technology, Patent, Trade Secrets, Food and Drugs Law, New Technology
• Law Firm: Potter Clarkson
• Author: Charlotte Crowhurst, Lars Karn'e, Philip Thomas, Sara Holland, Camilla Ki'rboe, Timothy Powell, Anna Johnson Aspberg and Robert Cogger-Ward

AI AND ML ARE HAVING A DRAMATIC IMPACT ON EVERY ASPECT OF FOOD MANUFACTURE

When foodtech is mentioned, most people will immediately think of the science involved in food production, the proteins, microorganisms, and fermentation processes.

Alternatively, you might jump to production, packaging and delivery processes or the increasing part robotics, drones, and 3D printing now play in the food industry.

The aspects of technology that might not feature in your thinking are Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML).

However, AI and ML are having a dramatic impact on every aspect of food manufacture. They help drive efficiencies. They support the formation of new ideas and new recipes. They encourage increased use of automation. They reduce human error which is critical when you are producing products that humans are about to ingest. Most importantly in these difficult times, they reduce waste, reduce the use of chemicals (both pesticides and fertilizers) in the fields and increase productivity and profitability.

In this special report we will examine which areas of food manufacture are benefiting from the introduction of AI and ML and look at the key considerations for maximising the value of the underlying innovation.

WHICH AREAS OF FOOD PRODUCTION CAN BENEFIT FROM AI?

AI innovations are starting to lay the foundations for a better future for the food industry. It has introduced sophisticated data science solutions to tackle some of the key issues the food industry faces including:

• IMPROVING FOOD SAFETY
  
  Arguably the most important application of AI in the food industry is in food safety.
  
  There are two potentially ground-breaking uses of AI that are widely tipped to come into widespread use very soon:
  
  
  1. NEXT GENERATION SEQUENCING (NGS)
     NGS could eventually replace DNA in food safety testing. It can capture data and prepare lab samples more quickly and more precisely. It can also be used to highlight potentially dangerous trends and even prevent the outbreak of some diseases.
     
  2. ELECTRIC NOSES
     These are electronic chemical sensors that can accurately identify a variety of odours and discern whether the odours they pick up could be signs of pollution or infection.
     
     
• SUPPLY CHAIN OPTIMISATION
  
  Food manufacture is rightly highly regulated to protect consumers Part of this responsibility is to make sure the way a food product travels through its supply chain is transparent. AI can play a huge part in this. It can automate the tracking of...