Fuzzy Logic-Enabled Smart Food Waste Management Using IoT for Real-Time Monitoring and Optimization

Food constitutes a fundamental component essential for the sustenance of human life. It provides vital nutrients necessary for the growth and development of bodily tissues, facilitates the optimal functioning of organs, supplies energy requisite for the execution of daily activities, and offers materials necessary for bodily repair when required. Furthermore, food plays a crucial role in regulating proper metabolic processes within the body. In contemporary society, a significant proportion of food is being squandered in various forms by individuals. This paper is presented with the aim of mitigating the extent of food wastage occurring within hostel environments. Within this study, we employ a fuzzy logic controller to assess the data pertaining to food waste accumulated in the receptacle. To ensure sanitary conditions, we incorporate an ultrasonic sensor and an accelerometer sensor, which enable the automated opening and closing of the receptacle while simultaneously monitoring its spatial orientation. Additionally, a load cell sensor and another ultrasonic sensor installed within the receptacle are utilized to ascertain the weight and volume of food waste, respectively. The data collected from these measurements is relayed to the fuzzy logic controller, which subsequently updates the information concerning the receptacle's attributes within a cloud-based environment. The fuzzy logic controller is also responsible for making determinations regarding the transmission of notifications to the relevant authorities based on the receptacle's attributes. Our system systematically monitored the volume of waste contained within the receptacle during breakfast, lunch, and dinner over a duration of two months. Subsequently, we identified which specific meal within the breakfast menu produced the highest volume of waste on particular days of the week. A comparable procedure was conducted for both lunch and dinner. Consequently, we were able to precisely ascertain which meal within the food menu resulted in maximum wastage during breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Following this analysis, a revised menu was implemented based on the observed data. The reduction in food waste was assessed by comparing the quantities of food discarded prior to and subsequent to the modification of the food menu. In addition, our system issues directives to the waste collector to retrieve the food waste and repurpose it as organic fertilizer.