How IoT is Making Food Processing Industry More Efficient

Things platforms that are backed by ML algorithms can help in ensuring profitable as well as sustainable growth throughout the supply chain and this type of technology & its capability to digitally analyze the data gathered can render valuable insights into predictive maintenance requirements, equipment performance as well as real-time inventory tracking. For instance, IoT devices can capture & save the operating data, pinpoint inefficiencies in the manufacturing line & help in identifying actionable solutions. Remote connectivity of these devices enhances the field support & renders visibility in packaging operations. Furthermore, by monitoring the equipment from remote places, one can foretell the issues even before they actually occur, thereby saving time & money.

"Automation in the food processing industry brings more opportunities for manufacturers today. By adopting new technologies, operational efficiency is increased and also the companies can integrate systems across the supply chain with improved results and safety," says Raghav Gupta, Director, Kanchan Metals.

End-to-end Logistics visibility: The chain of distribution can be completely monitored from a storage to shipping to the sale points or stores with the help of GPS systems & RFID transmitters. RFID tracking renders visibility into the food supply chain, and automates shipping & delivery, as well as monitors & controls temperature during the process. It also enables firms to track the location of the product with the Global Positioning System. All the data that is gathered can then enable the firm to understand the customer behavior, better respond to market requirements & reduce surpluses. The Internet of Things technology can also make it easier for both organizations as well as consumers to track products, thereby amplifying the transparency of the supply chain & acquiring customer loyalty & trust.

Enhancing quality control & real-time analysis for food production: Sensors can be used to enhance quality control, worker's activities as well as real-time analysis for food production. For instance, the specks as well as color throughout flour production or its moisture & protein content can be analyzed by sensors & this can render real-time production process optimization which lets the flexibility to rectify any inaccuracies on the spot.

Waste reduction: The industry 4.0 revolution continues to push the food industry to develop more innovative ways in order to connect the food supply chain to real-time product data, which creates a whole new sphere of possibilities for food manufacturers as well as retailers who can leverage the Internet of Things technologies for maintaining the highest quality standards in manufacturing, find & solve inefficiencies in the supply chain, and meet & exceed food safety regulations as well as render transparency to their clients.

One such company that has a large network of smart fridges stocked with jars of fresh meals accessible in workplaces, airports, hospitals & various other locations is Farmer's Fridge. Every fridge has the feature of temperature scanning which alerts technicians about when the temperature is off & the food will not be dispensed if it is not fresh. Based on an algorithm, the fridges stay stocked and learns about the customers' food preferences for preventing waste by sticking to a supply of what people want to eat.

In a nutshell

With the availability & enlargement of the Internet of Things solutions & services, the food sectors is experiencing a few key transformations specifically in terms of trends in food safety. Food manufacturing agencies can utilize the Internet of Things technology to keep pace with the highest quality standards with the assurance of having the same product, with the similar higher quality at anytime & anywhere.