Artificial intelligence (AI) is a hot topic of research in computer science. One of its goals is to enable the processing and analysis of large data sets; then, machine learning algorithms make it possible for AI to acquire knowledge from this data and predict the future occurrence of events. This might mean, for example, that food product recalls could be prevented and critical machinery failures could be anticipated, thereby allowing for early execution of preventive actions.
The application of AI in food safety includes foodborne pathogen detection, identification, and characterization; enhanced public health systems; and food safety risk prediction, monitoring, and optimization along the supply chain.1 For a food safety professional, AI could be a helpful tool. An essential part of a food safety plan is the hazard analysis, which must be done for ingredients and process steps within the framework of each product's Hazards Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) plan. The hazard analysis involves significant research from literature, recall databases, government agencies, and news in order to determine the biological, physical, and chemical hazards associated with the product and to assess the frequency and severity of each hazard. This is a time-consuming and laborious process. AI offers the opportunity to assist with compiling this information in a much shorter period of time, while processing much larger data sets than a human being.