Meet the FOODITY innovators: FoodMarketMap

We are delighted to present FoodMarketMap, one of the innovative projects selected in our Open Call #1. The project aims to enhance shopping experiences and promote personalised nutrition and sustainable food systems. How? Through their Eatvisor app, which they are developing as part of our FOODITY support programme.

FoodMarketMap is composed of experts from three organisations based in Slovenia and North Macedonia: Žiga Patačko, from zerodays, Barbara Koroušić Seljak and Tome Eftimov, from the Jožef Stefan Institute (JSI), and Riste Stojanov, from the Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University – Skopje.

By integrating innovative AI-driven components, the Eatvisor app empowers citizens to make informed, healthy, affordable, and sustainable food choices and improve their eating habits while respecting data privacy.

The platform uses shopping receipts to identify food products and provides a robust recommender system. Thus, it promotes personalised nutrition, cost-effectiveness, and ethical food consumption. Also, it contributes to open-source datasets and three AI-based data-driven components to advance sustainable food systems.

We have spoken with three of its founders, Žiga Patačko, Tome Eftimov, and Riste Stojanov, to learn more about this initiative’s innovative approach to contribute to a healthier, more sustainable food future.

"We are a a startup focusing on developing complex web and mobile platforms and take care of the technical implementation of the FoodMarketMap."

Žiga Patačko Koderman, Co-founder and CTO at zerodays Tweet

"Our goal in FoodMarketMap is related to the development of trustworthy AI components that will enrich the components provided by FOODITY. We also want to align with citizens data rights, one of the main goals in the FOODITY project."

Tome Eftimov, senior researcher at Jožef Stefan Institute Tweet

"We are responsible for data management security and GDPR compliance within FoodMarketMap."

Riste Stojanov, Professor and Vice Dean at the Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University - Skopje Tweet

A deep dive into FoodMarketMap

In a nutshell, FoodMarketMap’s outcomes include the Eatvisor mobile app, open-source datasets of shopping experiences, and three additional AI-based data-driven components.

The new Eatvisor module allows users to photograph their shopping receipts, automatically recognising most food products and their prices by matching them with a food composition database (FCDB). If certain items are not recognised, users can photograph them and the module will use data-driven food recognition to identify them using the provided images. After each shopping session, users receive recommendations for healthier, sustainable, and cost-effective alternatives.

To implement this module, Eatvisor integrates the FOODITY components for food recognition and product identification from photos and develops innovative AI-driven components, including natural language processing for matching products with the FCDB, image-based identification of food logos for evaluating nutritional quality and organic origins, and a recommender system for alternative food choices.

Data collection adheres to FAIR principles, utilising the NAct component and other food ontologies for data consistency.

The three organisations working on the solution

Zerodays

Zerodays is a software development company based in Ljubljana, Slovenia, specialising in end-to-end custom solutions. Their areas of work include AI development and consulting services, web and mobile apps, business digitalisation, process automation solutions, and software for custom robots.

Jožef Stefan Institute (JSI)

JSI is the leading Slovenian public research institute, which encompasses natural sciences, life sciences, and engineering. With over 930 staff members, it focuses on expert scientific output, fostering young scientists.

The institute’s structure includes a Board of Governors, a Director, a Scientific Council, research departments, centers, and support units. The Scientific Council guides research and education, comprises senior researchers appointed for four years.

JSI’s expertise spans AI, computer systems, robotics, biotechnology, nanotechnology, and environmental sciences.

Faculty of Computer Science and Engineering, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University – Skopje

The Ss. Cyril and Methodius University is a public research university in Skopje, North Macedonia — the oldest and largest public university in the country.

It comprises 23 faculties, 5 research institutes, 4 public scientific institutions as associate members, 1 other higher education institution as an associate member, and 7 other organizations as associate members.

The FoodMarketMap team is now part of our 12-month €2 million Pilot Development Programme and is receiving funding (up to €187,500). In addition, they are benefitting from expert mentoring, group coaching, and specialised training on relevant technical, business, and legal issues to refine and scale their solution, ensuring they make a significant impact on the food and nutrition landscape.

Stay tuned for the next stories of our FOODITY innovators and, if you are interested in joining our journey towards improving food systems, apply to our Open Call #2 by 10 July 2024!