Using intelligent maintenance to combat food waste

22/08/2024

by Jennifer Meyer

Artificial intelligence (AI) is fundamentally changing refrigeration technology in food retail. Intelligent systems that are able to detect faults at an early stage and plan maintenance work in a targeted manner can minimize downtimes, increase efficiency and significantly reduce food waste. This potential is now being exploited as part of the “IAMCool” research project at RheinMain University of Applied Sciences.

Two men, one wearing a hard hat and high-visibility vest, inspect a large cooling system with several fans on the outside of a building; Copyright: Envato/Vladdeep

Predictive maintenance thanks to artificial intelligence

In the “IAMCool” project, researchers at RheinMain University of Applied Sciences are working on taking the maintenance of refrigeration systems in supermarkets to a new level. With the help of AI, sensor and operating data from the systems is to be continuously analyzed in order to identify potential problems in advance. This means that maintenance work can not only be planned better, but also carried out more efficiently. The result: fewer unplanned breakdowns, a longer service life for the systems and more reliable operation.

Energy and sustainability – two highly relevant topics for the future that are inextricably linked. Whether you want to refrigerate food, heat your store, light your premises, or keep an eye on your energy consumption, you will find solutions and expertise at the Refrigeration & Energy Management dimension of EuroShop from February 22-26, 2026!

A man with a small daughter in his arms stands with a shopping cart in front of a refrigerated shelf in a supermarket while the girl points at the products; Copyright: Adobe Stock

For climate protection, against food waste

A central aspect of the project is the prevention of food waste. Disruptions in the cold chain – whether due to technical defects or human error – often lead to food spoiling and having to be thrown away. AI can help here by detecting such disruptions at an early stage and enabling appropriate measures to be taken. This not only conserves valuable resources, but also contributes to climate protection by saving energy and reducing waste.

Promoting innovation in the field of refrigeration technology

The three-year research project is not only supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), but also by Eckelmann AG in Wiesbaden, a specialist in the automation of refrigeration systems. This partnership ensures that the technologies developed in the project can be transferred directly into practice. The close collaboration has already produced the first promising results, which have the potential to change refrigeration technology in supermarkets in the long term.

Looking to the future: AI as a key technology

Successes to date show that AI is capable of effectively monitoring specific refrigeration systems and identifying faults. The challenge now is to develop a standardized system that works for different types of systems. This would be a further step towards comprehensive automation and increased efficiency in food retail – a step that not only brings economic benefits, but also protects our environment.

Source: Press release Hochschule RheinMain