Agri-food innovation: Almendro Origen develops revolutionary technology to improve its products with AI.

The future of the agri-food sector in Catalonia is closer than ever thanks to innovative initiatives like Almendro Origen, which combines sensors, AI, and regenerative agriculture to produce more sustainably and save energy and raw materials. In fact, innovation and new technologies should help people make better decisions, but never replace them. Agricultural and technical staff will continue to be key throughout the entire process.

Can you imagine being able to tell the acidity or sweetness of a tomato without having tasted it? The AOSENSOR research and development project uses near-infrared (NIR) technology to "read" the internal state of ingredients—their ripeness, texture, or freshness—without having to spoil them. Developed by Ametller Origen in conjunction with the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) and the Institute of Agrifood Research and Technology (IRTA), the system collects data directly from the food and generates AI models that determine the physical and chemical conditions of the food, as well as the optimal configuration for different preparations.

Recipe recommendations

These models developed using artificial intelligence are capable of providing the necessary information to recommend adjustments to recipes, currently for the Penedès company's gazpachos, and improve both their flavor and nutritional value. Thus, knowing the ingredients helps reduce waste and make better use of each vegetable because they don't have to be tasted to determine if they're good. This process is being implemented in research centers and bakeries, eventually reaching distribution centers.

Almendro Origen's innovative method, which aims to make higher-quality products with a lower impact, is part of the Agrosmed initiative (Sustainable and Circular Agroindustry in the Mediterranean Corridor). This is a program within the Agro-Food PERTES call, where up to 14 companies and businesses leading the food industry have collaborated to raise funds from the Ministry of Industry and carry out projects to produce food more efficiently for everyone.

Shorten the production chain

The company's environmental awareness motivated this project, which maximizes process efficiency to reduce the impact of each production process. For this reason, it is expected to avoid production chain processes and, at the same time, significantly reduce energy consumption. This pioneering technology will allow real-time decision-making, both in the field and in the factory, addressing the challenge often posed by the complexity of formulations, taking into account the variability of raw materials. The application of AI will allow the company not only to offer a top-quality product but also to be more efficient in all processes.