A comprehensive database-driven solution to combat food wastage by efficiently tracking expiry dates and sending timely alerts.
- Abstract
- Problem Statement
- Objectives
- Key Features
- System Architecture
- Database Design
- Installation
- Usage
- Tech Stack
- Future Scope
- Contributing
Food wastage due to expired products is a common problem affecting households, restaurants, and retail stores worldwide. This project develops a database-driven system that efficiently manages food inventory by tracking expiry dates, sending alerts before items expire, and helping users utilize items on time. By maintaining a centralized database, the system ensures accurate data storage, easy access, and timely notifications, reducing both food wastage and financial losses.
Every year, billions of dollars worth of food is wasted due to:
- Lack of proper inventory tracking
- Forgotten expiry dates
- Poor planning and management
- No systematic alerts for near-expiry items
This system addresses these challenges by providing an automated, intelligent solution for food expiry management.
- Create a User-Friendly Database: Design and implement a robust database for managing food items and their expiry dates
- Automated Alert System: Send notifications 2-3 days before items expire to minimize food waste
- Smart Categorization: Automatically categorize food items based on status:
- Fresh
- Near Expiry
- Expired
- Generate Insights: Provide useful analytics for better inventory planning and decision-making
-
Food Item Entry
- Add item name, category, purchase date, expiry date, and quantity
- Support for multiple categories (Dairy, Vegetables, Fruits, Meat, etc.)
- Batch entry for bulk items
-
Expiry Tracking
- Automatically calculate days remaining before expiry
- Real-time status updates
- Color-coded inventory view
-
Alert System
- Notify users 2–3 days before expiry
- Email/SMS notifications (optional)
- Customizable alert thresholds
-
Inventory View
- Separate lists for Fresh, Near Expiry, and Expired items
- Filter and sort by category, date, or status
- Quick search functionality
- Recipe Suggestions: Get recipe recommendations based on near-expiry items
- Analytics Dashboard: Visual insights into consumption patterns and wastage trends
- Shopping List Generator: Create shopping lists based on consumption history
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ User Interface │
│ (Web Browser / Mobile App) │
└──────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Backend Layer │
│ (Python Flask / Node.js / PHP) │
│ • Authentication & Authorization │
│ • Business Logic │
│ • API Endpoints │
└──────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Database Layer │
│ (MySQL / PostgreSQL / SQLite) │
│ • Users Table │
│ • Food_Items Table │
│ • Alerts Table │
└──────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Alert Service │
│ (Email/SMS API Integration) │
│ • Scheduled Notifications │
│ • Multi-channel Delivery │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
ER Diagram: Users → Food_Items → Alerts
CREATE TABLE Users (
user_id INT PRIMARY KEY AUTO_INCREMENT,
username VARCHAR(50) UNIQUE NOT NULL,
email VARCHAR(100) UNIQUE NOT NULL,
password_hash VARCHAR(255) NOT NULL,
notification_preference ENUM('email', 'sms', 'both') DEFAULT 'email',
created_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP
);CREATE TABLE Food_Items (
item_id INT PRIMARY KEY AUTO_INCREMENT,
user_id INT NOT NULL,
item_name VARCHAR(100) NOT NULL,
category VARCHAR(50) NOT NULL,
purchase_date DATE NOT NULL,
expiry_date DATE NOT NULL,
quantity INT NOT NULL,
unit VARCHAR(20) DEFAULT 'pieces',
status ENUM('Fresh', 'Near Expiry', 'Expired') DEFAULT 'Fresh',
days_remaining INT,
created_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT CURRENT_TIMESTAMP,
FOREIGN KEY (user_id) REFERENCES Users(user_id) ON DELETE CASCADE
);CREATE TABLE Alerts (
alert_id INT PRIMARY KEY AUTO_INCREMENT,
item_id INT NOT NULL,
alert_date DATE NOT NULL,
alert_type VARCHAR(50) DEFAULT 'Near Expiry',
is_sent BOOLEAN DEFAULT FALSE,
sent_at TIMESTAMP NULL,
FOREIGN KEY (item_id) REFERENCES Food_Items(item_id) ON DELETE CASCADE
);- One-to-Many: One user can have many food items
- One-to-Many: One food item can generate many alerts
- Python 3.8+ or Node.js 14+
- MySQL 8.0+ or PostgreSQL 12+
- pip (Python package manager) or npm (Node package manager)
# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/yourusername/smart-food-expiry-system.git
cd smart-food-expiry-system
# Create virtual environment (Python)
python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate # On Windows: venv\Scripts\activate
# Install dependencies
pip install -r requirements.txt
# Configure database
cp config.example.py config.py
# Edit config.py with your database credentials
# Initialize database
python init_db.py
# Run the application
python app.pyThe application will be available at http://localhost:5000
- Log in to your account
- Click "Add New Item"
- Fill in the details:
- Item Name (e.g., "Milk")
- Category (e.g., "Dairy")
- Purchase Date
- Expiry Date
- Quantity and Unit
- Click "Save"
Navigate to the dashboard to see:
- Fresh Items: Items with >3 days until expiry
- Near Expiry: Items expiring within 2-3 days
- Expired Items: Items past their expiry date
- Alerts are automatically generated 2-3 days before expiry
- Check your email/SMS for notifications
- Configure alert preferences in Settings
-- View all near-expiry items
SELECT * FROM Food_Items
WHERE status = 'Near Expiry'
ORDER BY expiry_date ASC;
-- Get items expiring in next 3 days
SELECT * FROM Food_Items
WHERE days_remaining <= 3 AND days_remaining > 0;
-- Generate wastage report
SELECT category, COUNT(*) as expired_count, SUM(quantity) as total_wasted
FROM Food_Items
WHERE status = 'Expired'
GROUP BY category;| Layer | Technology Used | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Database | MySQL / PostgreSQL / SQLite | Data storage and management |
| Backend | Python Flask / PHP / Node.js | Business logic and API |
| Frontend | HTML, CSS, JavaScript | User interface (optional) |
| Alert Service | Email/SMS API | Notification delivery |
Python (Flask)
- Flask - Web framework
- SQLAlchemy - ORM
- Flask-Mail - Email notifications
- APScheduler - Scheduled tasks
- python-dotenv - Configuration management
JavaScript (Node.js)
- Express.js - Web framework
- Sequelize - ORM
- Nodemailer - Email service
- node-cron - Task scheduling
Upon completion, this project will deliver:
- A fully functional DBMS with structured database design
- Automated expiry tracking with real-time status updates
- Alert functionality via email/SMS notifications
- Comprehensive inventory view with categorization
- Query system for generating reports and insights
- User-friendly interface for non-technical users
- Significant reduction in food wastage and financial losses
This system can be enhanced with:
- Recipe Integration: Suggest recipes based on near-expiry ingredients
- Grocery Integration: Connect with online grocery stores for automatic ordering
- Mobile App: Native iOS and Android applications
- Barcode Scanning: Quick item entry using barcode scanner
- AI Predictions: Machine learning for consumption pattern analysis
- Multi-user Support: Family/team accounts with shared inventory
- Donation Alerts: Connect with food banks for near-expiry items
- Households: Manage daily food inventory and reduce waste
- Restaurants: Track bulk items and minimize losses
- Retail Stores: Monitor stock and optimize ordering
- Cafeterias: Manage large-scale food operations
- Food Banks: Track donations and expiry dates
Contributions are welcome! Please follow these steps:
- Fork the repository
- Create a feature branch (
git checkout -b feature/AmazingFeature) - Commit your changes (
git commit -m 'Add some AmazingFeature') - Push to the branch (
git push origin feature/AmazingFeature) - Open a Pull Request
This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.
For questions or suggestions, please reach out:
- Email: anshikasaklani894@gmail.com
- GitHub: (https://github.com/yourusername)
- Thanks to all contributors who helped shape this project
- Inspired by the global movement to reduce food wastage
- Built with modern database management principles
Smart Food Expiry Date Management System - Making food management smarter, reducing waste, saving money!