Smartphones as tools for equitable food quality assessment

Abstract Background The ubiquity of smartphones equipped with an array of sophisticated sensors, ample processing power, network connectivity and a convenient interface makes them a promising tool for non-invasive, portable food quality assessment. Combined with the recent developments in the areas of IoT, deep learning algorithms and cloud computing, they present an opportunity for advancing wide-spread, equitable and sustainable food analytical methods that could be used at each stage of food production and distribution. Scope and approach This review focuses on the use of smartphone-based methods in food quality assessment and monitoring, with particular emphasis on the ones in which smartphones are used as detectors, either on their own or in conjunction with more elaborate analytical procedures. The role of these methods in common and equitable access to information on food quality is discussed, together with a consideration of the sustainability and greenness of the smartphone-based methods and a perspective on the methodology and validation. Additionally, recent developments and future research trends are also outlined. Key findings and conclusions Despite the persisting limitations resulting from technical difficulties and the complexity of the food sample matrix, smartphones will play an increasingly important role in popularizing the access to food analytical techniques for on-site analysis as a readily available and convenient integrated interface, connectivity and remote sensing platforms.