Food safety and Industry 4.0: evidence from Portuguese agri-food companies

Industry 4.0 (I 4.0) technologies offer significant opportunities to strengthen food safety through real-time monitoring, traceability, and data-driven decision-making, yet empirical evidence from real industrial contexts remains limited. This study analyses the adoption and impact of Industry 4.0 on food safety management in Portuguese agri-food companies using a mixed-methods approach. An exploratory questionnaire survey was conducted across the agri-food value chain and complemented by site visits and semi-structured interviews in organisations with real-world digital implementations. The results reveal strong recognition of I 4.0 as a key enabler of food safety, particularly through improved traceability, hygiene control, and operational efficiency. However, adoption remains at an early stage and is largely operational rather than strategic. High investment costs, system integration challenges, workforce training needs, and uncertainty regarding return on investment remain significant barriers, especially for small and medium-sized enterprises.