New initiative uses past spoilage records to improve risk alerts
Cellar Insights has launched the Rotten Potato Data Project, a new initiative aimed at helping potato growers and storage operators reduce losses caused by spoilage during storage.
The project focuses on collecting digital records from past storage incidents involving rot, breakdown, hot spots, and other quality problems. Growers and storage operators in Manitoba, Alberta, Prince Edward Island, and New Brunswick are invited to participate. The program is expected to expand into the United States in the coming months.
“Rotten potatoes are usually something growers want to forget,” said Terry Sydoryk at Cellar Insights. “But the data around those events is incredibly valuable. If we can understand what was happening in the days and weeks before a problem became obvious, we can build better tools that help every operator spot risk earlier.”
Storage losses are a major challenge for the potato industry because problems often develop quietly and may not be noticed until significant damage occurs. These losses can affect growers, processors, and other businesses throughout the supply chain.
To address this issue, Cellar Insights plans to create a large database of real storage events and match them with sensor and controller data recorded before the problems appeared. This information will be used to develop and test machine-learning tools that can identify signs of spoilage risk earlier than traditional methods.
The company says the goal is to help storage operators make better decisions and respond to potential issues before they become costly. By studying past events, researchers hope to understand the conditions that led to spoilage and use that knowledge to improve future storage management.
Participant data will remain confidential. Records submitted to the project will be de-identified before being used for research and model development. Information about individual farms, storage facilities, or specific spoilage events will not be publicly disclosed.
The first phase of the initiative focuses on Canadian potato storages with digital records from approved storage management systems. Each submission will be reviewed to confirm eligibility before compensation is provided. Not all submissions will automatically qualify.
Cellar Insights believes the project will support the development of more advanced storage monitoring and spoilage-risk analytics. By combining grower experiences, storage system data, and modern technology, the company aims to create practical tools that help improve potato storage management across the industry.
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