Food Engineering logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Food Engineering logo
  • NEWS
    • Latest Headlines
    • Manufacturing News
    • People & Industry News
    • Plant Openings
    • Recalls
    • Regulatory Watch
    • Supplier News
  • PRODUCTS
    • New Plant Products
    • New Retail Products
  • TOPICS
    • Alternative Protein
    • Automation
    • Cannabis
    • Cleaning | Sanitation
    • Fabulous Food Plants
    • Food Safety
    • Maintenance Strategies
    • OEE
    • Packaging
    • Sustainability
    • More
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Plant Construction Survey
    • Plant of the Year
    • Sustainable Plant of the Year
    • State of Food Manufacturing
    • Top 100 Food & Beverage Companies
  • MEDIA
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
  • FOOD MASTER
  • EVENTS
    • Food Automation & Manufacturing Symposium and Expo
    • Industry Events
  • RESOURCES
    • eNewsletter
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • FE Store
    • Government Links
    • Industry Associations
    • Market Research
    • Classified Ads
  • EMAGAZINE
    • eMagazine
    • Archive Issue
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
Processing

AI

ProSweets Cologne to Highlight Potential of AI for Sweets and Snacks Manufacturers

ProSweets Cologne

Image courtesy of Koelnmesse / ProSweets Cologne.

January 21, 2025

ProSweets Cologne, set for Feb. 2-5 in Cologne, Germany, will provide insight on how AI can help confectionery and snack manufacturers, particularly in the area of vision and quality control.

Machines on display will be equipped with smart cameras and AI-based tools that observe, learn and adapt. From collection and administration of operating and machine data, to the dynamic visualization and analysis, the systems enable total transparency of production processes in real-time.

"The potential of AI and machine learning is huge and will fundamentally change the processes of the companies – also in the field of quality assurance," says Guido Hentschke, director of ProSweets Cologne.

With the implementation of computer vision and algorithms of machine learning, modern solutions like the ones on display in Cologne offer precision in recognizing defects in biscuits, wafers and crackers. Whether round or square, sweet or savory, made of wheat or oats — even slight deviations are detected on the conveyor belt directly after leaving the continuous oven. This minimizes production stoppages and waste.

In addition to the established red-green-blue camera technology and the laser scan, more systems that work in the ultraviolet or infrared wavelength range have been implemented to inspect food. The hyperspectral image processing of the Austrian company Insort reaches down to molecule level. It allows the chemical composition of the products to be assessed spatially-resolved inline and in real-time. And even if test objects with a higher variance have to be inspected and sorted, like dried fruits and nuts, AI is no longer a future vision. With the aid of deep learning, modern vision systems like the Sherlock Hypernova by Insort decide themselves whether an object belongs in a snack mix or whether it is a foreign body. All foreign bodies, whether plastic, stones, metal or fragments of glass are removed in one step. It is also possible to determine the bitterness of almonds and have them discharged safely, where necessary.

Thanks to AI, food producers not only have the opportunity to solve complicated quality control tasks. Generative AI models that are trained using large data sets, can also help develop optimized recipes or suggest alternative raw materials. 

"They enable combinations of ingredients and production methods to be discovered that meet the requirements of the consumers more readily and which are at the same time more cost-efficient," says Pierre Wiese, managing director at Solvia Digital Solutions. The company specializes in the introduction of various SAP products and develops intelligent applications to solve local customer needs. A result of growing demand for AI applications is the increased interest in the SAP Business Technology Platform (BTP). "SAP BTP offers a host of options for putting generative artificial intelligence to targeted use," says Dirk Nolte, head of ERP Consulting (SAP), at Solvia Digital Solutions.

An example of such a service is Döhler’s product finder. The natural ingredient supplier will present the tool, which allows AI-supported recipe search, Feb. 4-5 at 11:30 a.m. in the lecture "Sweet AI – how AI supports the food and beverage industry" on the Sweet Week – Talks & Tasting Stage.

Julia Hildebrant from Mehr.Wert Qualitätslösungen will also present the lecture "AI in the Quality Section: Smart solutions for efficiency & safety.” Hildebrandt will convey how generative AI can make processes more efficient to achieve added value in the daily work routine – not only in the field of quality. The lecture will be held along five other lectures Feb. 3 during the Sweet Week Production Summit. The focus lies on practical examples and innovative approaches for cost-efficient and future-proof production, especially through the use of AI tools.

KEYWORDS: candy confectionery equipment snacks trade show

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • Global Organic Food & Beverage Market to Grow

    Global Organic Food & Beverage Market to Grow

    With a CAGR of 12.07%, Bonafide Research estimates this...
    Latest headlines
  • skilled MEP worker

    Predicting Food and Beverage Manufacturing Trends for 2024

    The two words that should be kept in mind are labor and...
    Automation
    By: Derrick Teal
  • cleaning and sanitation

    The basics of cleaning and sanitation in food plants

    Sanitation maintains or restores a state of cleanliness...
    Food Safety
    By: Richard F. Stier
Subscribe For Free!
  • eMagazine
  • eNewsletter
  • Online Registration
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Customer Service

More Videos

Popular Stories

Conagra Logo

Conagra Brands to Sell Chef Boyardee Brand to Hometown Food Company

Salt

FDA to Amend Standards of Identity to Include Salt Substitutes

Butterfly pea flower

FDA Approves Three Food Colors from Natural Sources

CHECK OUT OUR NEW ESSENTIAL TOPICS

Alternative ProteinAutomationCleaning/SanitationFabulous Food Plants

Food SafetyMaintenance StrategiesOEE

PackagingSustainability

Events

June 5, 2025

Mass Customization Driving Innovation in the Food and Beverage Industry

The food and beverage industry is at the nexus of transformative global manufacturing trends, driving a shift toward personalized, customer-centric solutions. 

June 5, 2025

How Cafe Spice Uses Automation to Propel Private Label

Learn about Cafe Spice’s new, state-of-the-art, highly automated manufacturing facility in Beacon, New York. 

View All Submit An Event

Products

Recent Advances in Ready-to-Eat Food Technology

Recent Advances in Ready-to-Eat Food Technology

See More Products

Plant of the Year

Related Articles

  • candy

    $18,000 worth of candy stolen from Sweets and Snacks Expo

    See More
  • A computer screen

    Survey: 61% of Manufacturers Predicting to Achieve AI Goals in Just 11 Months

    See More
  • Limited number of cases of Dole Fresh Blueberries recalled due to potential Cyclospora contamination

    Limited number of cases of Dole Fresh Blueberries recalled due to potential Cyclospora contamination

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • Functionalized_Carbohydrate.gif

    Functionalizing Carbohydrates for Food Applications

  • food proces.jpg

    Food Process Engineering Emerging Trends in Research and Their Applications

  • 1119775590.jpg

    Thermal Food Engineering Operations

See More Products
×

Elevate your expertise in food engineering with unparalleled insights and connections.

Get the latest industry updates tailored your way.

JOIN TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Food Master
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing