The main players in the potato processing industry continuously gather, evaluate, and exchange digital data across their operations to monitor and manage production, enhance food safety, maximize quality, and boost efficiency and yield. These benefits stem from their focus on datasets that can be translated into actionable knowledge.

Big data, at its core, refers to digital technologies that manage vast volumes of information. Its emergence in the food industry is driven by the unprecedented scale and speed at which data is now available and applied to new purposes. While the Internet facilitates the collection and sharing of such data, big data goes beyond the Web. It’s not just about communication—it’s about leveraging information on a scale that reveals insights invisible at smaller volumes.

According to industry experts, partnering with experienced suppliers who are open to sharing knowledge is the most efficient route to impactful results. Collaborations with partners well-versed in both potato processing and Industry 4.0 standards yield the greatest advantages. Systems based on open standards and universal communication protocols offer a clearer path forward than those relying on proprietary formats and workflows.

Identifying Production Issues in Real Time

Leading potato processors demonstrate how big data can optimize operations. Technologies such as Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) and Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) collect data from a network of sensors—both standalone and embedded in processing equipment—to monitor product quality and process performance.

“This holistic view allows processors to identify production issues in real-time and predict when production is trending away from normal. These issues may stem from sub-optimal equipment operation or, more typically, from inherent variability in incoming raw potatoes. Big data analysis helps processors pinpoint the cause of variance and take corrective action – often before issues affect line output,” explains Stephan Westcott, Senior Manager, Engineering at Key Technology.

You can read the rest of this article in Issue 1 of the Potato Business Digital 2025 magazine, which you can access by clicking here.