The next talk of this academic year will be given by Prof Megan Povey from the University of Leeds.

Title: Food reassurance, sustainability, robotics and sensors

Abstract: Consumers and governments are increasingly interested in the safety, authenticity and quality of food commodities. This has drawn attention to non-invasive sensing techniques for rapid analysis. The main food quality traits of interest using non-invasive sensing techniques are sensory characteristics, chemical composition, physicochemical properties such as structure, health-protecting properties, nutritional characteristics and safety. A wide range of non-invasive sensing techniques, from optical, acoustical, electrical, to nuclear magnetic, X-ray, biosensor, microwave and terahertz, are available; some are now in a period of transition between experimental and applied utilization. With continued innovation and attention to key challenges, such non-invasive sensors and biosensors are expected to open up new exciting avenues in the field of portable and wearable wireless sensing devices and connecting with mobile networks, thus finding considerable use in a wide range of food assurance applications. There is a need for an appropriate regulatory framework which acts to exclude unwanted components in foods and includes needed components, with economical sensors incorporated into food packaging as part of a reassurance framework supporting sustainable production, a circular economy, regulation and food chain management. The integration of these sensor modalities into a single technological and commercial platform (For example based on block chain technology) offers an opportunity for a paradigm shift in food reassurance and manufacture.

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