Sensors for Physical Parameters of Food

NineSigma, on behalf of a major restaurant chain, seeks sensors and systems capable of providing objective assessment of the physical aspects of foods and beverages. The goal is to obtain quantitative appraisals of the physical properties of new recipes or existing products produced on new equipment.

NineSigma’s client produces and serves ready to eat foods in hundreds of locations across the globe, serving thousands of customers each day.

The client maintains a robust research and development function at their headquarters, employing teams of chefs, engineers and other specialists. The teams work to ensure consistency and quality by evaluating all new recipes as well as existing products made using new equipment. Currently, all products are evaluated by a team of professional tasters prior to commercial-scale production in restaurants. As a result, all assessments are qualitative in nature and subject to variation.

The client would like to supplement the experience and insight provided by these professional evaluators with novel and innovative technologies that can deliver repeatable and quantifiable data to ensure that the products served in each location are of the same consistent high quality.

Anticipated Project Phases

Phase 1 – Evaluation of proposals

• Q4 2018

Phase 2 – Demonstration of technologies

• Q1 2019
• Conducted at proposer’s location

Phase 3 – Demonstration of technologies

• Q1 2019
• Conducted at client’s R&D facility

Criteria for Moving from Phase 1 to Phase 2

Client will consider for advancement an approach that meets performance criteria with acceptable economics and pathway to commercialization.

The successful technology will:

• Obtain quantitative data related to one or more of the following:
  • Texture
  • Crunch
  • Structure
  • Crumbliness
  • Color