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Artificial intelligence for Ahle sausage production
In the near future, anyone buying an Ahle sausage, North Hesse's specialty, could be holding a food product in their hands that has been produced with the help of artificial intelligence (AI). Computer scientists at the university are working with a butcher's shop in Calden to develop a process in which an AI monitors the maturing of the sausage and controls its care in the maturing chamber. The project should be transferable to the production of other foods and strengthen the Hessian trade.
The Ahle sausage is a North Hessian cultural asset and has cult status. For the real "Stracke" or "Runde", it is not just a matter of recipe and processing, it also requires a complex maturing process lasting several weeks, often months, in special sausage chambers. Unlike in the industry, traditional curing takes place in a natural environment, often in clay chambers in the attics of historic half-timbered houses in northern Hesse.
The craft ensures that the sausage has a characteristic, particularly intense aroma, but also involves a great deal of monitoring and care. Every maturing sausage is regularly checked for its degree of ripeness and, if necessary, restocked. A certain amount of maturing mold is desirable, too much mold coating must be washed off by the employees. The experience of the employees is very important here.
Transferable to other trades
In cooperation with Landfleischerei Koch in Calden, computer scientists at the University of Kassel are now developing a system in which artificial intelligence supports the nose and eyes of experienced butchers. Sensors first determine values such as temperature and humidity in the chamber as well as the water content or pH value of the sausages and transmit the data to a central computer. A program then calculates the necessary steps and transmits them to the specialists: Does ventilation need to be provided? Is it too warm or too cold, too moist or too dry? Does the sausage need to be washed? The system receives feedback from the specialists, which it in turn feeds in and processes. This is how the program evolves.
Prof. Dr. Klaus David, who heads the Department of Communication Technology at the University of Kassel and is in charge of the project, explains: "Sausage production is a good real-world laboratory for developing possible applications of AI and machine learning for the food industry. Similar systems are conceivable for artisan bakeries or cheese dairies, for example."
Katharina Koch, owner of Landfleischerei Koch, confirms the benefits for the trade: "If the system works, it can not only improve the quality of the products, but also counteract the shortage of skilled workers."
The project is being funded with around 100,000 euros as part of a feasibility study by the Distr@l funding program of the Hessian State Chancellery in the area of the Minister for Digital Strategy and Development. It will run for one year.
About the project partners
Landfleischerei Koch has been operating in Calden since 1877 and is known throughout Germany for its naturally matured Ahle sausage. For generations, Ahle sausage has been produced in the maturing chambers of the historic half-timbered house. The butchers employed by the company have decades of experience in the production of traditional Ahle sausage, and the country butcher's shop also regularly trains young professionals.
The Department of Communication Technology (ComTec), headed by Prof. David, has been working on context-sensitive applications using machine learning and AI (artificial intelligence) since it was founded in 2000. This is used, for example, in smart city and mobile applications - and now also in the "Ahle Wurst meets AI" project.