Hannover Messe
: Bühler Chairman Calvin Grieder and Microsoft’s Ça?layan Arkan shake hands at Hannover Messe in Germany.
Photos courtesy of Bühler.
 
UZWIL, SWITZERLAND — Bühler and Microsoft are working together on cloud-based solutions to eliminate contaminated grains and to rapidly introduce new services to improve the availability of safe and healthy food.

An important part of the planned cooperation are block-chain applications, whose feasibility is being evaluated.

Food safety and availability is still one of the most demanding global challenges, Bühler said. The application of digital technologies, such as offered by Microsoft’s Azure cloud, artificial intelligence and block-chain technologies, combined with inspection and processing technologies of Bühler and partners, will provide transparency and greater efficiency in food value chains.

“Bühler impressively demonstrates that manufacturers can be digital innovators, by strategically combining their industry-specific know-how with artificial intelligence, intelligent cloud and IoT solutions,” said Ça?layan Arkan, general manager worldwide manufacturing at Microsoft.

New technologies such as block-chain applications have an immense potential to enable full traceability within food value chains. They could be key to ensuring food integrity and in the fight against food fraud.

Calvin Grieder, chairman of the Bühler board of directors, said, “By interweaving Microsoft’s capabilities and Bühler’s innovations for food safety and availability, we strive to stand up to some of the most pressing issues in the global food system.”

Buhler
Bühler introduced the LumoVision optical sorter that is able to identify aflatoxin based on direct indicators of contamination.
 
One example that demonstrates the impact that the partnership of Bühler and Microsoft can bring to bear in food safety, Bühler said, is LumoVision.

This optical sorting technology, launched at Hannover Messe in Germany, is able to identify aflatoxin based on direct indicators of contamination. Simultaneously it uses real-time, cloud-based data to monitor and analyze contamination risk. Bühler said LumoVision eliminates up to 90% contamination and reduces yield loss to below 5%.  

“The Bühler and Microsoft partnership proves that the rigorous digital transformation of the business enables companies operating in traditional industries not only to win new customers and expand their markets, but also solve major challenges for humanity,” said Marianne Janik, general manager of Microsoft Switzerland.

“We see two companies that are evolving fast, have demonstrated alignment in culture, goals and action, and a shared commitment to improving global access to safe, healthy and affordable food,” said Ian Roberts, chief technology officer at Bühler.