Role of Artificial Intelligence in Improving Food Safety Ecosystem and Good Laboratory Practices in Assam

Assam, a land defined by its rich agricultural heritage — from the sprawling tea gardens of Upper Assam to the fertile Brahmaputra floodplains — stands at a critical juncture. As the state's food industry transitions from traditional markets to global supply chains, the complexity of ensuring food safety has grown exponentially. In an era where "from farm to fork" involves multiple layers of processing and logistics, traditional manual surveillance is no longer sufficient. The emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its integration with Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) is not merely a technological upgrade; it is a vital necessity for safeguarding public health and ensuring compliance with the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006.

The Challenge: Adulteration and the Modern Supply Chain

By Arup Jyoti Thakuria, Assistant Food Analyst

Recent data from the Commissionerate of Food and Drugs Administration, Assam, paints a sobering picture. In the 2024-25 period, the number of "low-quality" food samples in the state rose to 148, with "unsafe to consume" detections nearly doubling to 67 compared to the previous year. From formalin in fish to calcium carbide in fruits and melamine in milk, the methods of adulteration have become sophisticated, often slipping through the cracks of random manual inspections. This is where AI changes the game. Unlike human inspectors who can only be at one place at one time, AI-powered systems provide a "digital eye" that never blinks.

"In the symphony of flavours, food safety is the 'musical notes' and Artificial Intelligence is the Orchestra."

By Yuvraj Konwar, Assistant Chemist

Food safety became a See Saw even after various globally acclaimed provisions like Codex Alimentarius, International Health Regulations 2005, Sanitary and Phytosanitary Agreement (WTO), Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 (India) etc. But with the arrival of Artificial Intelligence, food safety might be one of the sectors which will become advanced to a great extent. Especially in states like Assam, which can be considered an agricultural state, artificial intelligence can play a great role. Food Safety is ensured with robust laboratory practices. With the advent of Artificial Intelligence, states like Assam will acquire a channelized approach of food safety which can ensure food security and nutrient security to its people.

That Solution is "Artificial Intelligence (AI)"

AI is not just a high-tech tool; it's a powerful new way to manage risk. It can change Assam's food system from one that reacts to problems (after people get sick) to one that predicts and prevents them. This makes food much safer for everyone and helps the food testing labs follow strict international quality rules known as Good Laboratory Practices (GLP). AI can work by taking huge amounts of data and quickly finding patterns that humans can miss. It protects the entire food journey, from where food is grown to where it is eaten.

The most important job of AI is to act as a forecaster:

• Environmental forecasting: AI can look at local weather reports, soil quality, and historical data on outbreaks. Based on this, it predicts the exact locations where conditions are right for harmful bacteria or toxins (like mold in stored rice) to grow.
• Health surveillance: AI can analyze public health data and other signals to spot early warning signs of sickness. This gives health officials a crucial heads-up, allowing them to stop a potential outbreak before it spreads widely.
• The benefit: Instead of checking everything all the time, AI can allow regulators to issue specific, targeted warnings to the right people at the right time.

In food processing plants, AI takes over repetitive and difficult inspection tasks:

• Camera inspection: AI-enabled cameras can help watch the production line and instantly spot foreign objects, broken packaging, or defects in the food with greater accuracy than human workers.
• Finding fake ingredients: Using special scanning tools, AI can analyze the "chemical signature" of food to quickly detect if cheap or illegal ingredients have been added.

— Tauhida Khan, Application Specialist

AI and Tea Safety in Assam

অসমৰ প্ৰেক্ষাপটত এবিধ গুৰুত্বপূৰ্ণ খাদ্যবস্তু হৈছে চাহপাত যাৰ চাহিদা সমগ্ৰ বিশ্বজুৰি আছে। গতিকে ৰপ্তানি কৰা খাদ্যবস্তুৰ ভিতৰত চাহপাতে বিশেষ গুৰুত্ব পোৱা উচিত। কিন্তু বহু সময়ত চাহপাত উৎপাদনৰ বিভিন্ন স্তৰত অত্যধিক মাত্ৰাত কীটনাশক ব্যৱহাৰ হোৱাৰ ফলত বহু পৰিমাণৰ চাহপাত আন্তৰ্জাতিক বজাৰত প্ৰত্যাখ্যান হোৱাৰ সম্ভাৱনা বৃদ্ধি হয়। কীটনাশকৰ নিৰ্ধাৰিত সৰ্বোচ্চ সীমাৰ ক্ষেত্ৰত চাহৰ আন্তৰ্জাতীয় বজাৰত প্ৰয়োজনীয় সতৰ্কতাৰ ইতিমধ্যেই সৃষ্টি হৈছে। এনেক্ষেত্ৰত কৃত্ৰিম বুদ্ধিমত্তাৰ ব্যৱহাৰে অসমৰ চাহৰ গুণাগুণ বৰ্তাই ৰখাত আৰু মানদণ্ডৰো অৱনতি নঘটোৱাকৈ ৰপ্তানি কৰাত সহায় কৰিব পৰা দিশ সমূহ হৈছে—

• ক) কীটনাশকৰ অৱস্থিতি পৰীক্ষাৰ বাবে ব্যৱহৃত LC-MS/MS আৰু GC-MS/MS দৰে উচ্চমানৰ আহিলাৰ ফলাফলসমূহৰ সঠিক অৱলোকন কৰি নমুনাসমূহ নিয়ন্ত্ৰক মানৰ ভিত্তিত ব্যৱহাৰৰ উপযোগী নে অনুপযোগী তাক নিৰ্ধাৰণ কৰাত সহায় কৰা। এই ক্ষেত্ৰত LC-MS/MS আৰু GC-MS/MS ৰ Data সমূহৰ লগত Artificial Intelligence (AI) Algorithms ব্যৱহাৰ কৰিব পৰা যায়।
• খ) কৃত্ৰিম বুদ্ধিমত্তাৰ সহায়ত বতৰৰ অৱস্থা আৰু এনে কীটনাশক প্ৰয়োগৰ সময় আৰু প্ৰণালীৰ বাবে হ'ব পৰা কীটনাশকৰ অৱস্থিতিৰ পৰিমাণৰ সম্পৰ্কেও গুৰুত্বপূৰ্ণ তথ্য আহৰণ কৰিব পৰা যায়।
• গ) কৃত্ৰিম বুদ্ধিমত্তাৰ সহায়ত প্ৰকৃত সময়ৰ বহু তথ্যৰ সঠিক উপস্থাপন কৰিব পৰা যায়, যিয়ে চাহৰ উৎপাদন আৰু ৰপ্তানিৰ লগত জড়িত অনুষ্ঠানসমূহক খাদ্যৰ মানদণ্ডৰ আন্তৰ্জাতীয় নিয়ন্ত্ৰক মানৰ নিৰ্ধাৰিত স্তৰৰ ভিতৰত নিয়ন্ত্ৰণ কৰাত সহায়কৰূপে পৰিগণিত হব।

— Bhaktadeep Chaliha, Assistant Chemist

Conclusion: AI as the Future of Food Safety

By Babul Choudhury, Help Desk Assistant, Commissionerate of Food Safety

As AI continues to reshape the landscape of food safety ecosystem, Smart Food Safe is committed to being at the forefront of this transformation. We are dedicated to empowering food businesses worldwide with intelligent, AI-driven solutions that streamline food safety compliance, enhance risk detection, and drive operational efficiency from farm to fork. Our mission is to bridge the gap between AI advancements and real-world food safety challenges, ensuring that businesses can confidently adopt technology that makes a tangible impact.

By integrating AI into food safety practices, the industry can not only improve safety outcomes but also streamline operations, reduce inefficiencies, and boost consumer confidence. As AI continues to evolve, it's paving the way for smarter, more resilient food safety systems that focus on prevention and proactive risk management — setting the stage for a future where food safety is more intuitive, responsive, and reliable than ever before.