A new collaboration between Lamb Weston, HAI, Radboud University and ISPT is transforming potato processing across Europe. The project focuses on integrating AI insights directly into LambWeston’s production lines to improve efficiency, product quality, and sustainability.
Advanced AI insights into potato quality
Radboud University is developing an advanced AI model to analyze potato quality with high accuracy. These insights can help identify raw material variations early, increase yields, and reduce waste. HAI’s cloud data platform supports this by consolidating scattered production data into a secure, scalable environment and enabling real-time AI.
Bas van Damme, Grading Hub Manager at Lamb Weston:
“Customers choose us because we provide consistent quality throughout the year. This is one of our USPs.”
He points out that AI-powered quality predictions are playing a growing role in maintaining that consistency.
Marjan Sonke-Viermann, produce-to-freeze specialist at Lamb Weston, said:
“The combination of hyperspectral imaging and AI enables better, faster, and more detailed quality predictions.”
These enhanced insights allow processors to avoid bad batches, reduce losses, and optimize resource usage.
Marjan Sonke-Veerman, crop-to-refrigeration specialist at Lamb Weston, says hyperspectral imaging combined with AI allows for faster, more accurate, and more detailed quality predictions.
Integrating AI into daily factory operations
Predictions and alerts generated by AI will soon appear directly on the HAI dashboard used by operators. This integration enables faster and more consistent decision-making during production, increasing process control and ensuring consistent product quality.
By incorporating AI into daily operations rather than isolating it as a separate system, the technology becomes a practical tool for operators, supporting efficient use of energy, raw materials, and labor.
Potatoes on the processing line. Soon, AI-generated predictions will guide operators in real-time.
Strengthening sustainability and industrial innovation
This initiative is in line with ISPT’s mission to accelerate the digitalization and sustainability of Europe’s process industries. The partnership between Lamb Weston, HAI, and Radboud demonstrates how cross-sector collaboration can create real-world, ready-to-use AI applications.
Beyond efficiency and quality, the project supports long-term goals such as reducing waste, lowering emissions and moving towards a more circular agricultural chain. Its success is expected to set a benchmark for other food and industrial producers across Europe.
Read the full NPT Process Technology interview (November 2025): https://lnkd.in/edakYqd5
