LeftoSense wins Rep. Jimmy Panetta’s 2025 Congressional App Challenge in California’s 19th District

When asked what inspired the creation of LeftoSense, Saumit Pathak said, “The idea for LeftoSense came from a simple everyday moment. A friend of mine threw away his lunch box, and when I asked why, he said that the food seemed spoiled. That got me thinking—we don’t really have an easy way to tell if food is still safe to eat just by looking at it. If we did, we could save a lot of food and avoid getting sick from eating something bad. LeftoSense ultimately started from a common feeling, fear. Every day, people wonder if the food in their fridge is still okay to eat. Because of that, some end up wasting food that’s actually fine, while others eat something that could make them sick. I began noticing how often this happens when my family and friends would throw away leftovers just because they ‘weren’t sure.’ It made me realize how much food goes to waste simply because we don’t have a clear answer.

“That’s when I started thinking, what if your phone could check that for you, kind of like a health check-up, but for food? That’s how LeftoSense was born. I’ve always been interested in how science and technology can work together to solve real problems. When I learned more about food science and how bacterial growth affects what we eat, I realized that AI could help detect those early signs without needing any special tools. LeftoSense brings that idea to life; it uses AI to help people know when their food is safe, reduce waste, and make smarter choices every day.”