How AI can reduce waste in pet food production

Waste management might not seem exciting, but it’s vital to pet food production.

Waste includes not just spoiled ingredients or defective products, but anything that doesn’t add value or is unnecessary, according to Lean principles. In today’s sustainability-focused era, reducing waste conserves raw materials, energy and water.

AI’s role in revealing hidden patterns

Artificial intelligence (AI) excels at uncovering hidden patterns. For example, a pet adoption center used AI to analyze factors influencing adoption rates.

While many thought ‘cuteness’ was the most important factor, AI revealed that the number and quality of photos had a far greater impact.

Using this insight, the center improved strategies, helping animals find homes more efficiently. This highlights how AI reveals missed opportunities.

Improving the extrusion process with AI

One example of where AI can help save costs is the extrusion process. Operating an extruder requires a certain ‘fingerspitzengefühl’ (intuitive instinct) as the process is too complex to be managed by simple ‘if-this-then-that’ rules.

AI can accurately predict ideal extruder settings based on various inputs, such as desired moisture content, production line characteristics and input mixture formulation.

This leads to a more stable extrusion process, significantly reducing startup waste and rework.

For example, reducing startup time by 10% or cutting downtime from blocked extruders by 30% can have a significant impact on the bottom line.

High-quality data

However, implementing AI successfully requires high-quality, relevant data. The principle of ‘garbage in, garbage out’ holds true; AI models are only as good as the data used to train them.

Ensuring accurate and complete data is crucial to achieving meaningful results and avoiding costly mistakes.

The future of AI in pet food production

The future of AI in pet food production is about more than just minimizing waste, it’s about transforming the industry.

Successful AI implementation requires a strategic vision, high-quality data and skilled personnel. AI won’t replace jobs, but those who master it will have a competitive edge.

Companies that invest in AI and foster innovation will redefine efficiency, quality and profitability. The choice is clear: adapt or risk being left behind.

The pet food industry is on the brink of a new era, and those who embrace AI will lead the way.

Find out more on the Bestmix website.