Dubai rolls out smart fruit scanners to check avocado ripeness
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Buying the perfect avocado just got easier in Dubai, where select grocery stores have introduced a high-tech fruit ripeness scanner that instantly tells shoppers whether their pick is ready to eat.
A recent viral Instagram video showed the device in action, with a customer scanning two avocados. The first was marked as ripe and firm — ideal for salads — while the second was labelled firm but not yet ready, meaning it would ripen in a few days.
The palm-sized gadget uses advanced sensors to assess firmness and sugar levels inside the fruit without cutting it open. Results are displayed through a simple colour code: green means unripe, yellow indicates perfect ripeness, and red signals overripeness, suggesting the fruit should be eaten immediately or avoided.
Beyond just ripeness, the scanner also recommends the best culinary use depending on the fruit’s condition — whether for smoothies, salads, or baking.
This is not the first time the UAE has embraced futuristic food tech. Researchers at Mohamed Bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) have also developed a "Strawberry Picker" robot that uses AI, robotics, and computer vision to harvest ripe strawberries quickly and gently.
The innovation aims to support farmers in overcoming labour shortages during harvest seasons, ensuring greater efficiency and reducing crop losses.