Dutch start-up introduces AI quality control to reduce food waste

NETHERLANDS – OneThird is changing fresh produce quality control with the launch of its AI-powered platform, designed to cut food waste and labor costs.

Using Near Infrared (NIR) technology, OneThird’s system allows for accurate analysis of Brix value, dry matter, visual defects, shelf life, and ripeness across a growing variety of fruits, including avocados, blueberries, strawberries, and tomatoes.

The technology is already in use by major retailers such as JUMBO in the Netherlands, Nature’s Pride across Europe, EDEKA and REWE in Germany, Migros and COOP in Switzerland, K-city Market in Finland, ICA in Sweden, and MENY in Norway.

The platform provides real-time quality data, enabling producers, distributors, and retailers to make better decisions while cutting down on waste.

By improving how products are allocated to customers, optimizing shipping routes, refining expiry date management, and ensuring surplus produce is repurposed efficiently, OneThird directly tackles the global issue of food waste.

Currently, up to one-third of all food produced each year is discarded, leading to financial losses estimated at €960 billion. Fresh produce accounts for 40% of this total. OneThird’s solution has demonstrated a waste reduction of up to 25%.

“OneThird is already successfully implementing its unique shelf-life prediction solution in the fresh produce supply chain,” said Henrike Langbroek, CEO of OneThird.

“Expanding our technology to cover all quality control parameters addresses a key challenge for our customers. It simplifies the work of quality inspectors and allows sales teams to make quicker, more informed decisions—ultimately reducing waste.”

The OneThird process begins by capturing an image of a product batch and scanning it using the OneThird app. AI-driven algorithms then analyze key visual quality parameters in real time.

The non-destructive NIR scanner provides crucial insights into shelf life, Brix levels, and dry matter content—without damaging the product. This enables quality control teams to assess both traditional and advanced quality metrics instantly and share results with relevant stakeholders.

By offering real-time data, OneThird allows producers, distributors, and retailers to make better supply chain decisions, improving use-by-date management, shipping logistics, and surplus product reuse.

The platform has been proven to cut food waste by up to 25%, while reducing quality control labor costs by up to 50% by automating data collection and analysis.

Fresh produce quality control has long been a time-consuming and labor-intensive process. Many current methods rely on visual inspections, making them prone to inconsistencies and errors.

Brix testing, which measures sugar content, has traditionally required manually squeezing juice from fruit, leading to unreliable results and unnecessary product rejections.

Dry matter testing for avocados can take up to 12 hours in ovens. Shelf-life evaluations often span several days, delaying critical supply chain decisions.

OneThird’s AI-powered platform eliminates these inefficiencies by providing fast, accurate, and non-destructive quality assessments.

“For years, the industry has relied on destructive and subjective Brix testing for berries and labor-intensive dry matter testing for avocados,” said Marco Snikkers, founder of OneThird.

“Many are surprised to learn there’s a faster, more accurate way. Real-time data empowers growers and distributors to ensure the right quality reaches consumers—while significantly reducing costs and waste.”

 

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