AI-driven waste monitoring systems are revolutionizing waste management in hotels, and food services, helping reduce food waste and optimize kitchen purchases. They also help chefs identify unpopular dishes—ones that are ordered, but then get thrown away.
Companies like Winnow Solutions, Leanpath, and Orbisk offer monitoring systems that include cameras, scales, and touchscreens, and give chefs waste data in real-time.
Hilton in the Middle East used a system with cameras and scales to analyze waste from breakfast buffets, experiment with smaller portions, and implement sustainable behavior "nudges" in a pilot program. By analyzing Winnow data, Hilton identified bread, pastry, and white eggs, as most wasted items.
The UN reported global food waste at 19% in 2022. The food service sector generated 290 million tons of food waste, accounting for nearly a third of the world's total. Food loss and waste generate almost five times the total greenhouse gas emissions from the aviation sector.
Sources: The Hindu, RetailWire , Business Insider, The Star, The New York Times
This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.
