What is the Bionutrient Meter?

In short, it is a handheld “spectrometer” to measure the nutrient density in food and crops, as well as carbon in the soil. It was made possible through the Bionutrient Institute lab in Michigan. Spectroscopy is a well-developed technology that can discern the makeup of materials using a noninvasive flash of light.

Since 2018, we’ve been gathering thousands of soil, food and crop samples through our Grower Partner and Citizen Science programs to calibrate the latest version of the meter. These samples are critical to calibrate the meter to offer readings or “estimates” of the nutrient density values. The meter is only one part of the overall BFA strategy that also includes an open-source data platform - owned by no corporate entity or individual, but instead, data that remains in the “commons” for access to all.

We are currently working with Near Infrared Spectroscopy, X-ray Fluorescence, and Raman Spectroscopy meters to develop our data sets, algorithms, and predictive metrics. Our objective is to have a relatively inexpensive (eventually, around $100) handheld device that a consumer can use to test crops before purchase. We suggest that if this level of empiricism is introduced to the marketplace, then the economic drivers governing crop production could be dramatically shifted. The ability to tell quality in the store will give retailers an incentive to demand quality from their suppliers, which will govern incentives for growers.

We hope that by making the principles of high-quality crop production readily available to growers, awakening consumers to the dramatic disparities in the food supply, and then providing them the capacity to make purchasing decisions accordingly, we can realistically affect food quality.

The developmental work of the Bionutrient Meter is ongoing, and we anticipate through new and ongoing partnerships and support, that it will take a place in our society to reveal the transparency in the food supply that all humans deserve. If you’d like to contribute to the development of this structure, please consider being a member of the BFA and contributing through your involvement as a citizen scientist, grower partner or financial supporter.

Why did we build the Bionutrient Meter?

Over the past several decades, concentrations of vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients have steadily decreased in fresh fruits and vegetables.  During a comparable period, degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and heart disease have risen to epidemic levels. Simultaneously, agricultural practices have polluted aquifers and ecosystems and led to the degradation of millions of acres of land.

We understand that correlation does not prove causation and that grasping complex relationships requires collecting mountains of data over a long period. However, it is undeniable that human, crop, soil, and environmental health are deeply interrelated.

Healthy food comes from healthy plants, and healthy plants come from biologically vital, ecologically regenerative, and carbon-rich soils.

But what is the definition of healthy food? Consumers have had few cues at their disposal for determining the relative nutritional value of specific fruits and vegetables. The truth is we haven’t known the quality of our food because nutrient density has not previously been measurable.

But imagine going to the farmers market, flashing a light at several different carrots, and comparing their nutritional value in real-time. Readings might show that some carrots are nutrient-dense, while others are not. Which ones would you buy? Would you start to choose food based on how good it was for you and your family?