IFFA 2025: Increasing data-based added value via innovative technologies

Sustainability in the natural cycle

Ecological, economic and social awareness has an important role to play for many butchers. By purchasing meat and animals for slaughter directly from farmers, many of whom are local, they become part of a natural cycle with short transportation distances. In-house, humane slaughtering as a prerequisite for animal welfare and the best meat quality gives the trade a further ecological advantage. Additionally, this avoids environmental pollution and CO₂ emissions with the subsequent production stages, such as cutting, meat processing and sales, all taking place under one roof. The fact that most of the meat is sold over the counter rounds off the advantages in terms of sustainability because sourcing locally not only means short distances for employees and customers but also avoids the use of superfluous, sometimes environmentally harmful packaging. Thanks to their labour-intensive production and distribution systems, the butchers' trade also offers future-proof jobs and thus ensures social sustainability. In view of their diverse entrepreneurial tasks, many butchers are not aware of their advantages in terms of sustainability and that their work should be emphasised more when it comes to marketing and communication.

Regionality and animal welfare in focus

For Sabine, Julia and Lena Schmitz from the eponymous country butcher's shop in the German town of Bitburg, sustainability is synonymous with regionality. As the three women say, "We have so many great local products that we source almost everything from around here. That's why there's nothing in our counter that doesn't come from us." They have been using their tried-and-tested sources for many years, purchasing their pork, poultry and beef from selected farms in the region. Like their customers, all producers prioritise animal welfare, use their own feed and deliver their livestock personally to a small family abattoir. In return, the farmers receive fixed prices that are higher than market prices. Even the marketing agency that Sabine, Julia and Lena Schmitz rely on is based in a neighbouring village. The advantage: in addition to faster communication when necessary, the advertising experts are fully aware of the value of the Eifel region and are able to convey it credibly. As a trained chef, Lena Schmitz combines international classics with local produce for daily specials and party services. One example is her modified vitello tonnato with a regional touch: instead of veal loin and tuna sauce, she uses chicken breast and a proprietary trout sauce as the basic components.

Electrical self-sufficiency

Thomas Eisele from Ostrach in Upper Swabia captures the sun: he is a pioneer in renewable energies and electricity storage. The master butcher has three photovoltaic systems generating a total of 115 kWp (= kilowatt peak, the peak output that photovoltaic modules can achieve under standardised conditions), a combined heat and power plant and two electricity storage units with a capacity of 214 kWh and an output of 90 kW. Almost incidentally, Eisele's car runs on electricity, increasing the storage capacity to 304 kWh. He also has several charging points that can be used by the public. If there is insufficient sunlight and the storage system is empty, the cogeneration plant kicks in as a buffer, which means that Eisele can even bridge a power outage. At night, the master butcher uses the energy generated to power his refrigerated vehicles, which are used during the day at weekly markets in the region, as well as his energy-intensive production machines. This sophisticated system makes him virtually self-sufficient in terms of energy. His verdict: Control systems and modules

Several manufacturers offer central command units designed to control and optimise the entire production process. For example, such control units interconnect filling and portioning lines and analyse production, storage and sales data. Machine data, such as output, throughput, quality, capacity utilisation and downtimes, are centrally recorded via standardised Ethernet connections. Current key production figures can be accessed in real time and provide a rapid overview of the value added of the individual lines.

In addition to complete solutions, machine control modules are used in individual stages of production. For example, the performance of high-precision tools can be improved through data collection, e.g., machine and production data on slicer blade sharpness and wear. Such data also permits conclusions to be drawn as to whether a particular type of blade is suitable for the product. Another example is intelligent portion cutters, which utilise modern image processing systems to ensure precise cutting and even portioning in terms of shape, size and weight.

Butchers also profit

Data is used not only in industrial production but also in smaller artisan businesses to automate processes and thus, as a side effect, alleviate staff shortages. For example, butchers can even automatically mix complicated multi-stage recipes in the cutter. Each batch is prepared on the basis of stored recipe data and processed in accordance with predefined parameters. Tracking ingredient consumption facilitates long-term material procurement. All the data collected and information about the various functions are transferred automatically to downstream merchandise management and accounting systems. This standardised process not only ensures a consistent product quality but also simplifies administrative and documentation procedures.

AI as a data booster

In common with many industrial sectors, artificial intelligence (AI) is also growing in importance for the meat-processing sector. Only AI can fully exploit the potential of data by identifying patterns of action and causal relationships when analysing the data. AI can also be trained for specific applications, such as cutting up sides of pork to optimise the cutting process. “The use of AI is a major trend in our sector,” says Klaus Schröter. AI is also set to become more widespread in the trade, even if there are still obstacles to overcome, as Herbert Dohrmann, President of the German Butchers' Association, acknowledges: “Integrating AI into artisan businesses is still a challenge at present because nine out of ten of them have different structures and business models.”

When it comes to quality assurance, particularly on the packaging side, AI-aided image processing systems are used to detect irregularities, such as colour deviations, foreign objects or faulty packaging. Inline inspection systems with self-learning cameras automatically reject defective packaging. These systems can also visualise more complex causes of defects. For example, they can detect melted ham fat that has a similar colour to the packaging tray.
 
Predictive maintenance is another field in which AI is used. AI-aided systems monitor the condition of machines and predict downtimes. Any maintenance work required is carried out during the ongoing process, which prevents downtime and breakdowns. Last but not least, AI-aided systems are virtually indispensable for preventing and detecting cyberattacks on modern, fully networked smart factories. They analyse network traffic in real time and identify suspicious activities that could indicate an attack.

Data usage on the packaging side

In the packaging sector, material and process data is used to develop alternative packaging materials, especially by combining biopolymers, fibre-based materials or mono-materials with suitable barriers. For example, scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging, IVV, use data, such as the concentration of carbon dioxide in the packaging, to simulate the shelf life of food. Using shelf-life simulations, scientists can predict which technical properties packaging must have for a product to retain its flavour. The packaging with the corresponding materials is produced in the IVV's own technical centre. Recyclable polymers are used to create multi-layer sheeting that offers the same protection against oxygen penetration as conventional materials. AI is also used to suggest the best possible packaging designs for a particular product while minimising the amount of material required, taking into account factors such as shelf life, the eco-balance of the packaging, the use of recyclates and consumer acceptance.