KTP reduces food waste by detecting potato defects early

Under certain growing, storage and handling conditions, potatoes can develop internal defects that affect their quality. This leads to significant reductions in crop value throughout the supply chain, increases food waste and reduces consumer confidence in the product.

This project aimed to develop a new gas sensing technology to non-destructively detect internal defects in potatoes before reaching the consumer, thereby increasing the quality of fresh produce and reducing food waste.

This project required skills in both scientific experimental design and volatile compound identification/analysis, which B-hive did not have in-house.

• UWE Bristol provided the broad ranging expertise in gas sensing and advanced mass spectrometry instrumentation needed to carry out the research.
• Together with the KTP Associate (and Agri-Tech Development Scientist), the team was then able to translate the complex scientific knowledge into a sensor technology prototype that has been tested and refined into a suitable industrial solution.

This partnership enabled the development and testing of a sensor technology prototype in the industrial environment (utilising B-hive Innovations expertise and facilities) with the potential to monitor and detect the early presence of internal defects in real time.

B-hive, UWE Bristol and the KTP Associate have built a sensing technology platform with the capability to detect internal defects in potatoes that could be exploitable across the agri-tech sector.

This has also resulted in a knowledge base of (1) volatile compound profiles related to potatoes that develop internal defects, (2) new expertise in experimental design and data analysis applied to potato tubers, and (3) long-term industrial deployment of robust sensor technology.

This knowledge exchange has paved the way to seeking additional funding to progress the next R&D activities and shorten the gap towards commercialisation. The partnership has also unveiled new potential agri-tech applications for this type of sensing approach.

For B-hive Innovations:

• Gained new skills in-house regarding gas sensor prototype development, testing and deployment within the agri-food sector.
• Outcomes have opened up new possibilities for B-hive to commercialise the developed innovation and know best practice for success.

For UWE Bristol:

• Further experience of agri-food manufacturing processes and sensor hardware/software integration for industrial implementation. This has created new knowledge on which the team can focus future endeavours and strengthen its position as a facilitator of industrial development.

For the KTP Associate:

• The KTP Associate has gained new scientific and transferable competences, gathered considerable understanding of the potato industry and its needs, and gained experience in a business environment.
• The KTP Associate has been employed by the company to take the project’s innovation forward.

When identified as defective and failing quality control inspections, a tonne of potatoes reduces its value on average from £185 to £12. This represents a loss of value of 93.5%. Considering a cold store comprises between 500 and 1200 tonnes, early detecting a defective stock and trading it before it loses its commercial value could represent earnings in between £86,500 and £207,600 – for just one storage unit!

B-hive Innovations Ltd is an agritech business that conducts R&D activities for the fresh produce industry, aiming to increase quality and reduce food waste.