Creating safer processed foods with AI-powered digital twin system

A new initiative is applying AI to food processing, using digital twins to help ensure texture-modified foods such as purees and soups are safe for vulnerable Australians who are at risk of dysphagia and have aspiration.

Swinburne University of Technology is developing the AI techniques to ensure safety within Ezy Chef’s Health range of texture-modified food products, commonly used in hospital and aged-care settings.

The project will apply advanced AI techniques to predict and optimise production outcomes, such as product quality, during live production. A digital replica of the physical production machine (a digital twin) draws insights to improve productivity and determine timelines for making the best quality product to meet demand each day.

“Meeting product quality targets and ensuring product consistency is critical to manufacturing productivity, particularly within texture-modified food production,” said Project Lead Dr Abhik Banerjee, Associate Director at the Digital Innovation Lab at Swinburne.

“Leveraging AI to monitor and adapt processes in real time has shown tremendous potential for achieving these goals. It is incredibly rewarding to be using digital manufacturing to help those most in need, such as the sick and elderly, to ensure they can enjoy meals that are both nourishing and comforting.

“Food is so deeply connected to feelings of warmth, care and connection. Ezy Chef’s products make a tangible difference by helping vulnerable individuals experience a sense of normalcy, joy and dignity through food.”

The Ezy Chef team.

This collaboration is one of the first projects of the new $5 million Australian Research Council (ARC) Research Hub for Future Digital Manufacturing launching in March 2025. The combination of AI, digital twin technology, and manufacturing expertise will set a new benchmark for quality and consistency in food production.

Director of the ARC Research Hub for Future Digital Manufacturing Professor Dimitrios Georgakopoulos said, “The collaboration with Ezy Chef over the next five years exemplifies Swinburne and the Hub’s dedication to drive the digital transformation of Australian manufacturing.

“Through interconnected programs, we will deliver innovative, AI-driven solutions that address manufacturing data challenges, optimise processes, and enhance productivity, sustainability and competitiveness.”

This project builds on previous research with Ezy Chef that started in 2023, developing an Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solution that enabled real-time data capture and process monitoring. This solution was piloted and is currently in use at Ezy Chef’s Broadmeadows plant.

Ezy Chef CEO and Cofounder Gavin Clifford said Swinburne’s research has been invaluable in delivering real-world outcomes.

“Ezy Chef’s work is about more than just food; it’s about helping people feel cared for, particularly the sick and elderly. We’re proud to collaborate on R&D and innovations that not only improves manufacturing outcomes but also contributes to making a real positive difference in people’s lives who are dependent on texture-modified food solutions.”

Top image credit: iStock.com/PixelCatchers