< Previous20 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net SOFTWARE SPOTLIGHT © stock.adobe.com/peshkovaFood & Drink International 21 www.fdiforum.net SOFTWARE SPOTLIGHT A I is terrifying, new, unexplored, and the food and drink industry is the fourth fastest industry to adapt to AI usage according to research, with the fashion industry coming in at top spot. With so many industries clamouring to adopt the technology and make use of it, there’s going to be a huge recruitment push for staff with skills in AI – which is a very small number given that a UK university became the first in the country in February to offer an AI course. Simply put, the world’s education system doesn’t yet have the infrastructure required to enable an AI revolution. A core misconception about AI, especially in technical industries like food and drink or pharmaceuticals, is that AI is used to replace human workers. This could not be any further from the truth. Aside from the fact that laws are currently changing and in great debate across the world, and that the specifics could be very different by the end of this year, consumers simply do not trust AI yet, and the technology has proven fallible. Trusting AI to take over core processes leaves a company open to disaster when something goes wrong, and it will go wrong as AI is still in a stage where it needs time to be perfected. One only needs to look at AI art to see examples of that, with AI art regularly containing extra fingers or an arm with two branching hands. While the AI can get 99% of the material correct, there will be areas it struggles with, and that is where a human operator is required to step in. What AI does well is analyse data in a snapshot and provide quick and accurate answers. In the pharma industry, one of the areas it’s being used most in is lab testing and analysis of microscope slides, and that could be The food and drink industry has proven a fast adopter of AI but changing regulations and a severe lack of talent in the industry make widescale adoption tricky. 22 Á The future is now 22 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net SOFTWARE SPOTLIGHT replicated in the food and drink industry by utilising AI toward contaminant detection and hygiene assurance. As a tool to increase the efficiency of a given process on an operational line, AI is second to none as it can – in theory – be inserted into any part of the process without requiring a line to be redesigned. This can free up staff to focus on other things, but it doesn’t make them redundant. AI might be able to identify potential contaminants, but it’ll still be up to employees to make sure, as AI can record a lot of false positives. AI usage in speeding cameras in Denmark has already proven fallible in this exact area, as it’s being used to determine when a driver is on the phone and issue fines but has already thrown up false positives when the AI caught a man scratching his head, no phone in sight, and issued a fine assuming that because his hand was in a certain position, he must be using a mobile phone. The same could happen on a process line with the AI making a simple error and basing assumptions on it, causing for the destruction of a lot of good stock because it assumes there is a contaminant. Having a human to double check reduces the risk involved. Another area where the food and drink industry is making extensive use of AI is in marketing and product innovation. AI can be used to trawl social media and gather data, and this Food & Drink International 23 www.fdiforum.net SOFTWARE SPOTLIGHT data can be used to identify trends in customer desires and eating habits, and then formulate potential new ideas for products. AI can also save drastically on design costs by simulating adverts and promotional material, including packaging. Again, it’s not necessarily wise to trust the AI and spend vast amounts of money on TV advertising based on an AI-designed advertisement, but what AI can do is cut out a lot of expenditure in the earlier stages, allowing teams to simulate and design concepts inexpensively until a final decision is made and then to pass on the final brief to a professional design team. This cuts out the need to pay for earlier drafts and middleman work. The real problem as AI is with recruiting talent, however. The technology is new and exciting and there are thousands of companies across the world trying to be at the forefront of it, meaning intense competition for a limited number of AI- savvy staff. While universities are quickly adapting to offering AI courses, even those may be of limited use because lecturers in said courses are also unlikely to have that much experience. Still, they could well be the only options, and if fighting for graduates is too expensive then food and drink companies may need to look at scholarships and bursaries, or even sending their current staff on development courses to learn the technology themselves. © stock.adobe.com/22_monkeyzzz24 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net WATER TREATMENT Water treatment is critical for preserving natural resources, and upholding the environmental and public health standards every compassionate food manufacturer prides themselves on. F ood businesses must observe strict regulations, including obtaining the necessary permits for usage and waste discharge, as well as complying with specific guidelines for treatment processes. But all the administration and official procedure involved is worth it for the returns in wellbeing, efficiency, and sustainability. Treating water responsibly is essential for ensuring the safety of any food product, as it’s a primary ingredient in many processing operations, and any contamination can lead to serious health risks for consumers. Whether washing fruits and vegetables to remove dirt and pesticides, soaking grains to soften them for further processing, or preparing meat and seafood for cooking, the use of clean and treated water is paramount to maintain hygiene, as contamination can introduce harmful pathogens or chemical residues into the food supply chain. Maintaining a clean environment is equally essential in food processing facilities to prevent cross-contamination and ensure product safety, treatment Attention to Food & Drink International 25 www.fdiforum.net WATER TREATMENT © stock.adobe.com/vxnaghiyev being crucial for sanitising equipment and facilities. By removing impurities and microbial contaminants from cleaning ingredients, water treatment systems help prevent the spread of pathogens and maintain hygiene standards. Failure to adequately sanitise equipment is yet another loophole for foodborne illness outbreaks, but using this precious resource the right way protects everyone you serve and secures your business’s reputation. Cleanliness sometimes impacts the least expected areas. Treatment is needed even in steam generation processes, to ensure the quality and purity of the steam produced. In facilities where water in this superheated form is used for cooking or processing, boiler feedwater must uphold the reliability and safety of steam generation equipment. Impurities can lead to scale buildup in boilers, reducing efficiency and increasing maintenance spending, while being another enemy to product quality and safety. Filtration, softening, and chemical treatment are employed here, helping prevent scale formation, deterioration, and harmful bacterial growth in steam generation systems, ensuring reliable and hygienic steam supply for food processing. In the opposite extreme, the industrial cooling systems which maintain the temperature of products and equipment need treated water for maintenance of their efficiency and longevity, and protection from limescale damage which invites corrosion and microbial growth. This is essential for maintaining the efficiency and longevity of cooling systems by preventing 26 Á26 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net WATER TREATMENT scaling and subsequent damage to apparatus such as cooling towers, where they can impede heat transfer, increase energy consumption, and costly downtime for maintenance and repairs. In addition to optimising all systems and minimising the risk of product contamination, effective procedure also lessens the environmental impact of food processing operations. Wastewater generated during food processing contains its own biome of pollutants, including organic matter, suspended solids, nutrients, and potentially harmful chemicals. Without proper treatment, this water is dangerous to use. Microbial contamination in wastewater can also lead to biofilm formation, fouling, and unpleasant odours, further exacerbating environmental concerns. When discharged into water bodies untreated, it is allowed to harm aquatic ecosystems and contaminate drinking water sources. Nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus present in wastewater can cause eutrophication, which triggers algal blooms that disrupt marine life by depleting oxygen levels, degrading habitat, and producing toxins which are harmful to animals, including humans. Illnesses such as gastrointestinal disorders, skin rashes, neurological symptoms, and even fatalities can be caused by harmful algae, and toxins produced can accumulate in the food chain, leading to bioaccumulation and biomagnification of toxins in many organisms. These blooms thrive in nutrient-rich environments, often fuelled by agricultural runoff and wastewater discharge, leading to nutrient imbalances. Addressing the underlying factors contributing to algal blooms is essential for mitigating their ecological impacts, and to help keep our aquatic ecosystems healthy. By implementing comprehensive waste management practices, food providers can mitigate these environmental risks. Treatment technologies such as biological treatment, chemical oxidation, and filtration are employed to remove pollutants and contaminants from wastewater before discharge. These treatment processes help safeguard quality, protect ecosystems, and preserve natural resources for future generations. Effective wastewater management offers additional benefits beyond environmental protection. Innovative treatment technologies—such as ‘advanced oxidation processes’ to degrade organic pollutants, or ‘biological nutrient removal’ which uses organic conversion to remove nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus—are used on waste generated during food processing operations before discharge into the environment, groundwater sources, or municipal sewage systems. However, by recovering resources such as energy and helpful nutrients, food processors can put otherwise wasted materials to better use in processes that can use and reuse them again; an approach that reduces operational costs and minimises the ecological footprint. Water management means optimising resources as much as discarding the unwanted, as both are vital for enabling reuse. Through recycling initiatives and waste reduction strategies, manufacturers breathe new © stock.adobe.com/KletrFood & Drink International 27 www.fdiforum.net WATER TREATMENT ʴˈˇ˂ˀʴˇʸ ˀ˂ʼˆˇˈ˅ʸ ʶ˂ˁˇ˅˂ʿ %RI\GIWWSJQSMWXYVIGERLEZIPEVKIMQTEGXWSRJMREPTVSHYGX UYEPMX]TVSHYGXMSR IUYMTQIRXJYRGXMSR1SMWX8IGLƅWRIEV MRJVEVIHQSMWXYVIWIRWSVEPPS[WQERYJEGXYVIVWXLIEFMPMX]XSEHNYWX QSMWXYVIPIZIPWFEWIHSRVIEPXMQIMRJSVQEXMSRPS[IVMRKVE[ QEXIVMEPGSWXWERHSZIRYWEKITVSPSRKMRKIUYMTQIRXPMJIG]GPIERH MRGVIEWMRKTVSHYGXUYEPMX] TVSHYGXMSRIJJMGMIRG] ˪˪˪ʡˠˢ˜˦˧˧˘˖˛ʡ˖ˢˠ ʞʧʧʤʤʦʫʠʩʫʣʧʤʦ life into materials that might otherwise be discarded. This approach creates innovation, inspiring the development of eco-friendly materials and processes, a testament to the industry’s adaptability and resilience. In a similar way, navigating the labyrinth of regulations governing waste disposal is more than a legal obligation. Adhering to these guidelines shows ethical business conduct, reinforcing trust with stakeholders. It’s a pledge to uphold moral values, ensuring that every operation is conducted with diligence and respect, for both consumers and the environment. Quality control is therefore closely monitored throughout the food production process, to ensure compliance with regulatory standards and maintain product integrity. Parameters such as pH, turbidity, microbial contamination, and chemical residues will be monitored at various stages of food processing. Regular testing and analysis of samples help identify any deviations from quality parameters, allowing for corrective action which prevents product recalls and sanctions to be taken as soon as possible. Taking these steps towards all final products meeting safety and quality standards demonstrates a commitment to sustainability and corporate social responsibility. Safe and thoughtful water management combines hygiene, efficiency, and eco-friendly practice, all of which serve to build trust among consumers and stakeholders, and care for the irreplaceable people and environments which support the food and drink industry. © stock.adobe.com/Dusko28 Food & Drink International www.fdiforum.net LABELLING, CODING AND MARKING L abelling is an essential system when preventing, controlling, or removing risk from the food supply chain. It’s a mark of proper procedure for every aspect of making and distributing a product, creating accountability, and upholding responsibility for each operative that handles it for any reason. If a food is Labelled and secured In times past labelling existed solely to inform consumers about the contents of a product, but as manufacturing has become more industrialised and as batches have risen ever higher, it has become one more tool in controlling the consistency of products and protecting the brand of a company. Labelled and secured Food & Drink International 29 www.fdiforum.net LABELLING, CODING AND MARKING proved to be unsafe once it’s left manufacture, it’s a clear sign that something has gone wrong, sometimes severely. In these urgent situations, the labelling and traceability of a flawed product acts as a guide towards the problem’s source. But more important for immediate safety, it allows personnel to accurately locate and withdraw every potentially affected batch. Label coding assigns a unique identifier, such as a batch or lot number, to each production run of a food product. Each batch or lot can then be traced back to specific production records, including information about when and where it was produced, which ingredients were used, and quality control measures. In the event of a product recall due to safety concerns or quality issues, coding is what facilitates the targeted recall of affected batches. By referencing their codes, manufacturers and distributors 30 Á © stock.adobe.com/MP StudioNext >