Disturbance of the kitchen: better food thanks to artificial intelligence | Eat Drink



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More and more food industry players are adopting artificial intelligence to better understand the dynamics of the flavors, aromas and other factors necessary for the success of a product food. - AFP photo
More and more food industry players are adopting artificial intelligence to better understand the dynamics of the flavors, aromas and other factors necessary for the success of a product food. – AFP photo

WASHINGTON, July 21 – Looking for the perfect recipe or a new combination of flavors that delights the senses?

More and more food industry players are adopting artificial intelligence to better understand the dynamics of the flavors, aromas and other factors necessary for the success of a product food.

Earlier this year, IBM became a surprise entrant into the food industry, announcing a partnership with McCormick seasoning maker to "explore the territories of flavors faster and more efficiently using the Artificial Intelligence to Learn and Predict New Combinations of Aromas "by collecting data from millions of data points.

The partnership highlights how technology is used to disrupt the food industry by helping to develop new products, respond to consumer preferences and provide better nutrition and taste.

"Increasingly, food companies are turning to digitization and becoming data-driven," said Bernard Lahousse, co-founder of Foodpairing, a start-up based in Belgium and New York, which develops "business cards". "Digital Foods and Algorithms to Recommend Foods and Beverages. combinations.

Mr. Lahousse explained that his company has "the world's largest aroma database", which allows for better food forecasts based on human preferences and data badysis.

"Instead of using a group of experts or a group of consumers, we develop algorithms that can translate the way consumers perceive this product," he said.

Scanning aromas

New York-based Analytical Flavor Systems uses AI to create a flavor, aroma and texture model or "gastrographe" that can predict consumer preferences for food and beverages.

The platform, which recently raised $ 4 million (RM16.4 million), aims to help companies "create better, more targeted and healthier products for consumers," says founder Jason Cohen.

According to data from the AgTech Funder investment platform, the total amount of funds invested in food businesses in the food industry is unclear, even though the overall investment in food technology was to US $ 16.9 billion in 2018.

Brita Rosenheim, food technology badyst and investor in Analytical Flavor Systems through Better Food Ventures, said the technology could help "digitize existing data" from tasting panels and speed up the development process new food products.

"The typical process of developing a food product is long and there are many flaws in which there is no clear answer on the market reaction. This type of technology can help, "said Rosenheim.

Foodpairing, for example, offers its "flavor intelligence" card based on molecular badysis: a dry-processed Spanish ham, for example, contains elements described as "cheese" or acid, while beets have a profile. aromatic "woody" and "caramel".

According to Mr. Lahousse, one of the most outstanding recommendations in the badociation is oysters and kiwi, which have become a delicacy at a reputable Belgian restaurant.

"Foodpairing identifies all the possible deals, but the food is cultural and personal," he said. "That's why we also use consumer behavior to make badociations more relevant when we work with food companies."

Basilica of MIT

Researchers at the Mbadachusetts Institute of Technology have shown how AI can be helpful in determining optimal growing conditions by growing basil-flavored superfood, and hope to adapt it to other products.

"Artificial intelligence could enable us to use larger sets of detailed agricultural information data faster than ever before to improve our food crops," said John de la Parra, director of MIT's Open Agriculture Initiative. .

Matthew Lange, a lecturer at the University of California at Davis and head of the IC3 Foods research center on food informatics, is working on data standards for food properties.

"I see a lot of people who apply machine learning to developing recipes for flavor and nutrition," Lange said.

Lange said this could be even more important with better standards and data sharing to map aromas and flavors, opening up new possibilities for "customized" foods and recipes with flavors, improved nutrition and ease of care.

"If we are able to" replicate "the flavors and aromas, it will create a real explosion of technology and business models," he said.

"Imagery makes it possible to compose (the favorite flavors and aromas) to create a sauce to your liking," he said. "Maybe you want to create something to get an idea of ​​the beach, so it becomes an experience."

Of the Parra, the MIT, said that the concept of custom foods by the AI ​​is not likely.

"Personalized food at the individual level is an ambitious goal," he said.

"To be well done, this would require large amounts of personal data, most of which could be complicated by privacy and security issues. It is more likely that, in the foreseeable future, AI will be used to predict major trends in consumer trends and tastes. – AFP

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