Food Safety Testing: Exploring the Opportunities Presented by AI, Blockchain, and Robotics in the Industry

Highlights:

• Introduction
• AI and big data analytics in food safety testing
• Impact of blockchain and robotics on the industry

One of the biggest impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic is the growing awareness regarding the importance of healthy lifestyle and balanced diets. Many health-conscious consumers have shifted to environmentally sustainable, nutritious food items that help build immunity in the long run. Moreover, as COVID-19 is a zoonotic disease, the post-pandemic era has heightened the emphasis on testing food products for various safety parameters. Several countries have passed laws mandating compulsory testing of packaged and non-prepacked foods sold in retail shops and restaurants. Some governments have even constituted statutory bodies that set regulatory norms and oversee their compliance. In such a scenario, the expanse of food safety testing has grown significantly.

In the past, food processing companies were reluctant to implement food safety measures, as these procedures raised operational costs, making their products less competitive in the market. However, in the last few years, the rising integration of advanced technologies to examine different food products and detect impurities has played a major role in the growth of the food safety testing industry.

Deploying AI and robotics to simplify food safety testing procedures

Over the years, the food safety testing market has grown immensely and is anticipated to amass a revenue of $44.1 billion by 2033, rising at a CAGR of 7% during 2024-2033. Food safety testing involves a range of scientific analyses and procedures to examine and ensure that the food product is free from contaminants and adulterants, and safe for consumption. In the post-globalization period, the pace of urbanization and industrialization has increased significantly, especially in developed and developing countries. Naturally, the disposable incomes of people living in these regions have surged drastically, modifying their consumption patterns. Moreover, the busy lifestyles of people in metropolitan cities and industrial towns impacted their diets and eating habits. All these factors have substantially enhanced the demand for processed, packaged, and frozen foods, thus increasing the need for the food safety testing market.

In the last few years, the overall footfall in restaurants and fast-food chains has grown substantially. Due to governmental norms, these outlets are establishing food safety testing protocols to ensure public safety and health. In such a scenario, the adoption of technologies such as AI and big data analytics has increased to simplify the procedures involved in food testing. Artificial intelligence primarily helps in analyzing vast amounts of data within minutes, thus aiding the user in making data-driven decisions easily. Furthermore, the pattern recognition capabilities offered by AI tools assist in identifying anomalies and adulteration easily.

Moreover, along with big data analytics, machine learning algorithms are being deployed by companies to predict food spoilage based on the ingredients and raw materials used. This helps establish comprehensive risk assessment frameworks and optimize the operational workflows, thereby ensuring high standards of quality control. Along with this, AI-powered solutions also aid in monitoring the storage conditions and tracking raw material information. Ultimately, this helps the company analyze the factors impacting the food product’s shelf life. Many food inspection companies have also started using AI tools to improve their food safety testing capabilities by making the processes more consistent, accurate, and quicker.

Robotics and blockchain technologies creating new opportunities for growth in the industry

In June 2024, Neogen® Corporation, a leading food safety company, announced the launch of Petrifilm® Automated Feeder, an automated solution for improving the indicator testing capabilities of food inspection companies. The system has been specifically designed to increase the speed of testing by offering more than 100,000 indicator tests per year. The device automatically loads plates and conducts initial tests, thus accelerating the food safety testing processes.

In the last few years, many such innovative products have been launched by leading technology companies to address the evolving dynamics of the food safety testing industry. Many players are investing heavily in R&D activities to design high-tech automation solutions that are capable of handling repetitive tasks such as sample preparation, dilution, pipetting, etc. The high accuracy and precision offered by these robotic systems have made them ideal for detecting contamination and adulteration in food products. Furthermore, food inspection companies, by deploying these automated machines, are able to improve their operational efficiency and productivity in the long run.

Apart from this, food packaging and processing companies are even using blockchain technology to safeguard their supply chains. The decentralized ledger system helps companies improve the traceability and transparency of their logistical operations, thus enhancing the trust among their customers. Moreover, the tamper-proof nature of this technology aids companies in identifying the source and cause of contamination, thereby establishing a comprehensive food safety testing mechanism.

In summary, the increased awareness regarding public health, immunity development, and balanced lifestyles in the post-pandemic period have led to a surge in demand for holistic food safety testing procedures. The advent of AI, big data analytics, automation, and blockchain is anticipated to create favorable conditions for the growth of the industry in the near future.

Contact our experts for more information on the evolving dynamics of the food safety testing industry

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