Digital 4.0 technologies for quality optimization in pre-processed foods: exploring current trends, innovations, challenges, and future directions

This review examines recent advancements in Digital 4.0 technologies for quality control of pre-processed foods, with bibliometric analysis revealing China and the United States as dominant contributors (> 50% of publications). A notable research trend identified in this area is the integration of Digital technologies with health-related objectives. The quality variations in pre-processed food arise from complex, interdependent processing stages. Consequently, investigations limited to isolated steps may result in incomplete or biased conclusions. A comprehensive assessment across the entire processing chain is therefore necessary, leveraging advanced technologies such as image digitization and next-generation wireless communication systems. The implementation of Digital 4.0 technologies has demonstrated promising outcomes, including recognition accuracies exceeding 90% in certain applications. Moving forward, future efforts should prioritize the development of standardized food databases, professional workforce training, and enhanced mechanisms for ensuring consumer data privacy.