The global food processing industry faces mounting pressure from rising resource costs, stringent sustainability regulations, and labor shortages. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), nearly 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted annually, with a significant portion lost during processing. In Europe alone, food waste costs the industry an estimated €143 billion per year (European Commission, 2023).
Polysense’s AI-driven approach directly tackles these inefficiencies by replacing manual quality checks with real-time digital inspections. Their technology has already been adopted by major players like Agristo (Belgian French fry producer), Roger & Roger (Croky crisps), and Coroos (Dutch vegetable processor), demonstrating its scalability and impact.
How Polysense’s AI Technology Works
Polysense’s software creates a digital twin of food products using synthetic data, enabling rapid, precise quality assessments without extensive manual sampling. This method:
- Reduces waste by detecting defects early.
- Improves consistency by optimizing process parameters.
- Cuts operational costs by minimizing rework and resource use.
Vincent Van Dijck, Polysense’s co-founder, explains: “With synthetic data, we generate a digital replica of customer products in no time, saving significant time and resources.”
Industry Impact and Future Growth
Agristo’s Kristof Wallays highlights the dual economic and ecological benefits: “Their technology is a game-changer, helping us comply with sustainability laws while improving margins.”
With €2 million in seed funding from investors like Peter Hinssen and Coformaco, Polysense plans to:
- Expand R&D to enhance AI capabilities.
- Scale across Europe, targeting more food processors.
- Strengthen sustainability efforts, aligning with the EU’s Farm to Fork Strategy, which aims to reduce food waste by 50% by 2030.
Polysense represents a transformative shift in food processing, proving that AI and data-driven solutions can drive both profitability and sustainability. As the industry grapples with cost pressures and regulatory demands, technologies like Polysense’s will be critical in shaping the future of efficient, waste-free food production.
