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Notes on food safety, authenticity and analytical technologies
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Innovative Food Technologies: Emerging Processing and Preservation Approaches for Sustainable Food Systems
Global food systems are being challenged by population growth, climate change, resource scarcity and rising consumer expectations for safe, minimally processed and nutritious foods. In response, a broad set of innovative technologies has been developed to improve food safety, extend shelf life, reduce waste and lower the environmental footprint of production. These technologies are increasingly regarded not as isolated tools but as interconnected components of a sustainable and data-driven food chain.
Artificial Intelligence in Food Safety: From Data to Risk-Based Decision Making
Food safety management has traditionally relied on periodic sampling, laboratory analysis and expert inspection. Although these approaches remain indispensable, they are often slow, labour-intensive and limited in their ability to detect emerging risks across complex global supply chains. Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being recognized as a tool that can transform the large and heterogeneous data generated in the food sector into timely, risk-based decisions.
Sensor-Based Detection of Food Adulteration: Electronic Noses and Gas Sensor Arrays
Food adulteration, defined as the intentional substitution, dilution or misrepresentation of food products for economic gain, threatens consumer health, trust and fair trade. High-value products such as honey, olive oil, meat, spices, milk and alcoholic beverages are particularly vulnerable. Reference methods including chromatography, mass spectrometry and DNA-based techniques provide high accuracy, but they generally require expensive instruments, trained personnel and time-consuming sample preparation. Sensor-based systems are therefore being investigated as rapid, low-cost and portable screening alternatives.
Machine Learning Approaches in Food Science: Applications, Pipelines and Challenges
The food sector generates increasing volumes of data from analytical instruments, sensors, imaging systems and production lines. Machine learning (ML), a branch of artificial intelligence in which models learn patterns from data rather than following explicitly programmed rules, has become a powerful tool for extracting useful information from these datasets. Its applications now cover quality assessment, safety control, authenticity verification, process optimization and product development.
Processing-Induced Chemical Hazards in Meat and Meat Products
Meat and meat products are important sources of high-quality protein, essential amino acids, vitamins and minerals. However, processing operations such as curing, smoking, fermentation, drying and high-temperature cooking can lead to the formation of chemical compounds with potential adverse health effects. These processing-induced contaminants have attracted growing scientific and regulatory attention, particularly after the International Agency for Research on Cancer classified processed meat as carcinogenic to humans (Group 1) and red meat as probably carcinogenic (Group 2A) in 2015.
Biogenic Amines, N-Nitrosamines, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Heterocyclic Aromatic Amines in Meat Products
Several groups of potentially harmful compounds can be formed in meat products during processing and storage. Among them, biogenic amines (BAs), N-nitrosamines (NAs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) have been studied extensively because of their toxicological relevance and their close link to common processing practices.
Advanced Glycation End-Products in Foods: Formation, Health Relevance and Mitigation
Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) are a heterogeneous group of compounds formed through non-enzymatic reactions between reducing sugars and the free amino groups of proteins, lipids or nucleic acids. This process, known as glycation or the Maillard reaction, is responsible for many desirable colour, flavour and aroma properties of thermally processed foods. However, the later stages of the reaction also lead to stable end-products that have been associated with adverse health effects.
Lipid and Protein Oxidation in Meat: Mechanisms, Quality Consequences and Control
Oxidation is one of the main causes of quality deterioration in meat and meat products, second only to microbial spoilage. Lipid and protein oxidation occur during processing, storage and cooking, and they affect colour, flavour, texture, nutritional value and potentially safety. Because these two processes are closely interconnected, they are increasingly studied together.
Analytical Technologies for Halal Food Authentication
Halal food refers to products that are permissible for consumption according to Islamic dietary law. Halal requirements cover the source of raw materials, slaughter methods and the absence of prohibited substances such as pork, its derivatives and alcohol, as well as the prevention of cross-contamination during processing. The global halal food market has grown considerably, and the increasing complexity of supply chains has raised the risk of intentional and unintentional non-compliance. Reliable analytical technologies are therefore needed to support certification bodies, regulatory authorities and industry.
Recent Advances in Meat Species Identification
Meat species identification is essential for protecting consumers against economic fraud, ensuring compliance with labelling regulations, meeting religious and cultural dietary requirements and safeguarding public health. Substitution of high-value meats with cheaper species, undeclared addition of pork or poultry, and the use of meat from unauthorized species are among the most common forms of meat fraud. The European horsemeat scandal of 2013 clearly demonstrated the vulnerability of complex supply chains and accelerated the development of more sensitive and rapid identification methods.