BHUBANESWAR : Odisha-based Centurion University in partnership with Australian food-tech platform ‘Saveful’, has come up with a new AI-integrated application ‘Saveful 2.0’ to help households repurpose their kitchen leftovers, reduce unnecessary purchases and minimise food wastage.
By entering the ingredients in the app that are already available in their kitchens, users can discover which dishes they can prepare or learn how to make a dish of their choice.
The digital platform that uses artificial intelligence (AI) will encourage behaviour-led changes in daily cooking and consumption habits in a way that will not only save food and money but also help people contribute their bit to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) target of reducing food waste to help lower greenhouse gas emissions.
Developed with support from a team of techies from the university led by assistant prof of computer science Saneev Kumar Das, the new Indian version of the Saveful app has been piloted through the Saveful portal and will be officially launched and available for download on Play Store from March this year.
“The app has been adapted to local food habits and everyday needs with a strong emphasis on affordability, accessibility and practical daily use,” said Centurion University vice-chancellor Prof Supriya Pattanayak.
Pattanayak said integrating this technology into the university’s ‘Zero Waste Campus’ ecosystem, the partnership aims to provide students, faculty and surrounding communities with a practical tool to turn kitchen leftovers into valuable resources. This is not just an app, it is an extension of our commitment to the circular economy and the UN SDGs, she said.
“With food waste responsible for nine times more greenhouse gas emissions than the global aviation industry and the average person in India wasting 55 kg of food annually, the collaboration offers a scalable solution to a critical climate and economic challenge,” said Pro-V-C (Administration) Ajay Kumar Nayak.
“The app, which has been found to have helped over 41,000 Australian users save 63% more food than average households, has been localised for the Indian context. The platform will be used as a tool for community development, helping local households slash grocery bills by maximising their existing food supplies. Users can also track their personal impact and financial savings through a personalised dashboard, creating transparent data for sustainability reporting,” said CEO and co-founder of Saveful, Kim McDonnell.