Cost-Effective Multispectral Sensor and Artificial Neural Networks for the Detection of Starch Adulteration in Raw Milk

This study aims to detect starch adulteration in dairy products utilizing an artificial neural network (ANN) model. Globally, milk fraud represents a significant challenge to food safety, posing substantial health risks to consumers. In this context, spectral data derived from milk samples with varying starch concentrations were processed using feature scaling and normalization techniques. The ANN model was rigorously trained and validated employing the stratified k-fold cross-validation method, demonstrating exceptional proficiency in detecting starch-adulterated milk samples and effectively differentiating among various starch concentrations. The principal findings indicate that the model achieved 100% accuracy, coupled with high levels of precision, sensitivity, and F1-scores. Future research should explore the application of this model to different types of adulteration and extend its validation on larger datasets. Furthermore, the potential adaptability of this method for other food products and field applications warrants investigation. This study offers valuable insights for milk producers, food safety professionals, and consumers, particularly highlighting the implications for small-scale rural farms, thereby enriching the discourse on food safety within short food supply chains.