"Exploring how AI can reduce food waste, improve nutrition, and cut emissions."

RIYADH, April 4, 2025 – Artificial intelligence is transforming various industries, including food production, by enabling more sustainable, efficient, and innovative ways to feed the growing global population. AI is playing a key role in addressing food loss, which is a significant issue for global food security. Each year, approximately $1 trillion worth of food is lost before reaching consumers due to spoilage, supply chain inefficiencies, and market rejections.

AI-powered solutions are helping to extend shelf life, maximize nutritional value, and minimize environmental impact. Essence Food, a company leading this movement, uses AI, 3D printing, and advanced freeze-drying techniques to turn surplus produce into long-lasting, nutrient-rich food products.

Founded by CEO Marcio Barradas, Essence Food is pioneering a data-driven approach to food preservation, demonstrating that advanced technology can convert food loss into opportunity for both the planet and public health.

During a 2017 TED talk, Barradas distinguished between food loss and food waste, explaining that food loss occurs early in the supply chain, while food waste happens at the consumer level. The effects of food loss are severe, reducing the overall amount of food available for consumption, with factors like poor yields, quality inconsistencies, spoilage, and transportation inefficiencies contributing to the issue.

A key problem is the rejection of perfectly edible fruits and vegetables by retailers due to aesthetic imperfections, leading to significant food waste. Reflecting on his TED talk, Barradas noted, “It was a call to the industry to wake up and stop wasting foods when they can actually monetize them. So it was sort of from trash to cash.”

Though awareness of food loss has grown, Barradas observed that, as of 2019, no large-scale solutions had been implemented to address the issue. To tackle this, he founded Essence Food, a company focused on reducing food loss through technology.

By combining AI with freeze-drying, Essence Food repurposes surplus and rejected produce, preserving nutrients and addressing health and environmental concerns related to food production. Freeze-drying retains more nutrients than other dehydration methods, improving shelf life and product quality, making it ideal for tackling global food loss.

After launching in Spain, Essence Food expanded rapidly to the Middle East, beginning with the UAE and now entering Saudi Arabia. Barradas shared, “We presented it at Gulfood in Dubai, and amazingly, we won as most innovative startup back in 2019,” referring to their 3D-printed products showcased at the prestigious food industry event.

This recognition helped the company expand quickly in the region, where there’s a strong demand to optimize resources, given that much of the region imports fruits and vegetables. Barradas also noted, “In the Middle East, there is an advantage compared to Europe. It’s less bureaucratic. When the decision-makers here believe in something, they will bring it to the front and it will be implemented.”

While freeze-drying and 3D printing are not new technologies, AI has significantly improved their efficiency. Essence Food was already proactive with machine learning when Barradas founded the company, using data to accelerate processes, enhance decision-making, and teach machines.

AI played a pivotal role in optimizing the freeze-drying process, with the company developing a virtual AI library. Each fruit or vegetable that enters the process undergoes rigorous laboratory analysis to determine its nutritional content. This data is then added to the AI library, enabling tailored food customization to meet specific dietary needs."