Walmart Inc. aims to prevent $2 billion in food waste in the next five years by deploying a machine called Eden, which will check fresh produce for defects, the U.S. big-box retailer said March 1.
The technology, still in the early stages of development, has already prevented approximately $86 million in food waste since Eden's suite of apps was introduced to its 43 food distribution centers, Walmart said in a blog post.
Eden can check for defects in fruits and vegetables headed for Walmart outlets from its distribution centers, predict the shelf life of tomatoes, or manage the distribution of grocery items from the back of the store to the shelf.
The technology is poised to monitor the freshness of fruits and vegetables, rerouting shipments to a closer destination if required.
