Smart sensors could help Canada tackle its $58‑billion food waste problem |
Each year, Canada generates roughly $58 billion in avoidable food waste, much of which is from spoilage that goes undetected until it is already too late.
With food prices rising by as much as 27 per cent over the last five years and supply chains under strain, Canada needs better ways to reduce this waste and safeguard the quality of perishable foods.
New digital technologies offer a promising solution. Small sensors and camera-based systems can help food producers and retailers spot spoilage earlier. At McMaster University’s DeGroote School of Business, we are studying how image-based and sensor-based monitoring can improve freshness tracking and reduce spoilage.
The invisible nature of spoilage
Consumers usually cannot see the early signs of spoilage. It is a slow biological process that typically cannot be seen by the human eye until the food is already badly damaged. Even small changes in temperature or humidity during transport can speed up bacteria growth, lower food quality and shorten shelf life.
The food industry still relies heavily on fixed “best before” dates. According to food rescue organization Second Harvest, best before dates account for 23 per cent of all avoidable food waste from processor to purchase.
Best before dates are estimated by food producers and retailers based on shelf-life tests under ideal storage conditions. But these dates do not reflect how food has actually........