Big data has big possibilities for personal application. While corporate monsters like Google, tobacco and food companies use data collected from purchasing and applications in marketing and advertising, the availability of big data can change the way we go about our day such as the most necessary tasks, like, eat food.

Big data by chain grocery stores and food companies can track our typical purchases and could therefore tell us our calorie and blood sugar intake, typical foods purchased weekly, number and category of items in our refrigerators inventory, etc. via an app. All of this information could lead the typical consumer to make informed decisions about food purchasing ranging from health to the amount of milk needed to get through next week.

In addition to health implications, big food data might also one day tell us more about the environmental impacts of our food including distance transported or how many people choose organic buy store or region. Apps for personal use can also help prevent food waste by reminding consumers of expiration dates or could increase efficiency of kitchen appliances such as the fridge through keeping it consciously, fully stocked with via smart shopping lists and recipe suggestions.

Maybe there are benefits to corporate big brother.

Read more on National Geographic.


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