# Enhancing Baby Food Safety - integrating Advanced Sensor Technology and Blockchain for Contaminant Detection and Transparency

Oche Joseph Otorkpa, Olalekan Ebenezer Ihinkalu, Chinenye Oche Otorkpa

► To cite this version:

Oche Joseph Otorkpa, Olalekan Ebenezer Ihinkalu, Chinenye Oche Otorkpa. Enhancing Baby Food Safety - integrating Advanced Sensor Technology and Blockchain for Contaminant Detection and Transparency. European Journal of Nutrition and Food Safety, 2024, 16 (7), pp.313-316. 10.9734/ejnfs/2024/v16i71482.. hal-04634132

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Submitted on 3 Jul 2024

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# Enhancing Baby Food Safety - integrating Advanced Sensor Technology and Blockchain for Contaminant Detection and Transparency

Oche Joseph Otorkpa a* Olalekan Ebenezer Ihinkalu b and Chinenye Oche Otorkpa c

## Authors' contributions

This work was carried out in collaboration between both authors. Both authors read and approved the final manuscript.

## Article Information

DOI: https://doi.org/10.9734/ejnfs/2024/v16i71482

**Open Peer Review History:**
This journal follows the Advanced Open Peer Review policy. Identity of the Reviewers, Editor(s) and additional Reviewers, peer review comments, different versions of the manuscript, comments of the editors, etc are available here: https://www.sdiarticle5.com/review-history/118044

## Letter to The Editor

Received: 11/04/2024

Accepted: 15/06/2024

Published: 03/07/2024

Keywords: Baby food contamination; food safety; food supply chains; heavy metals.

Dear Editor,

We are writing to bring attention to a growing concern and propose a novel approach for

detecting and mitigating contaminants in baby food, which has significant implications for public health and toxicology.

<footnote>a Department of Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, National Open University of Nigeria, Lokoja, Nigeria.</footnote>

<footnote>b Department of Computer Science, Federal University, Lokoja, Nigeria.</footnote>

<footnote>c Directorate of University Health Services, Federal University, Lokoja, Nigeria.</footnote>

<footnote>*Corresponding author: Email: drochejoseph@gmail.com;</footnote>
Recent studies have highlighted the presence of harmful contaminants such as heavy metals, pesticide residues, and mycotoxins in commercially available baby foods [1]. These contaminants pose a substantial risk to infants, who are particularly vulnerable due to their developing systems [2]. Despite stringent regulatory standards, reports of contamination continue to surface including one which concluded that top brands of baby foods sold in the United States were tainted with harmful levels of arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury [3], necessitating more robust and innovative solutions.

We propose a two-pronged approach that integrates advanced sensor technology with blockchain for real-time monitoring and transparency in the baby food supply chain.

The first approach involves the adoption of advanced sensor technology that utilizes nanosensors that are capable of detecting trace amounts of heavy metals and organic contaminants directly within the production line can revolutionize the way contaminants are

monitored. These sensors can be integrated into various stages of production, from raw material sourcing to final product packaging. Utilizing techniques like Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), these sensors offer high sensitivity and specificity, enabling the detection of contaminants at parts-per-billion levels [4]. This real-time monitoring system would allow for immediate corrective actions, significantly reducing the risk of contaminated products reaching consumers.

The second approach involves the combination of advanced sensors with blockchain technology to ensure an immutable and transparent record of the baby food production process. Each batch of baby food can be tagged with a unique identifier linked to a blockchain ledger, documenting every step from raw material procurement to final delivery. This ledger can include data from the nanosensors, providing verifiable and tamper-proof records of contaminant levels at each stage. Consumers and regulators can access this information, fostering trust and accountability within the industry.

Integrating Advanced Sensor Technology and
Blockchain for Contaminant Detection and
Transparency In Baby Food Production

<figure><img src="image_3.png" /><figcaption>Fig. 1. Illustrates the synergistic advantages of integrating blockchain technology with advanced sensor systems for the detection of contaminants and the enhancement of transparency in the production processes of baby foods</figcaption></figure>
The integration of these technologies addresses the limitations of current testing methodologies, which often rely on random sampling and post-production testing, by providing continuous and comprehensive monitoring as shown in Fig. 1. Moreover, blockchain can enhance traceability, enabling swift identification and recall of contaminated products, thereby protecting infant health more effectively [5].

The growing prevalence of toxic contaminants in various baby foods, as indicated by a report showing the presence of heavy metals in 95% of baby foods produced by major manufacturers, has clearly shown that our current systems have failed to provide effective and reliable traceability solutions required for accountability and transparency in food supply chains [6,7]. This alarming statistic shows the pervasive nature of contamination issues within the baby food industry and highlights significant shortcomings in existing monitoring and regulatory frameworks. Despite advances in food safety protocols and technologies, the persistence of such high levels of heavy metal contamination reveals a critical gap in our ability to track and verify the purity of baby food products from production to consumption [8]. As a result, there is a pressing need for more robust and innovative approaches to ensure the safety and integrity of the food supply chain, particularly for vulnerable populations such as infants. Sensor and blockchain technology offer a unique opportunity to change this narrative with their capacity to improve traceability, safety, reliability, and transparency in the food industry [9, 10].

We believe that adopting unified technical standards and protocols to ensure the integration of this innovative approach has the potential to significantly advance safety standards in the baby food industry and reduce exposure to harmful contaminants. We look forward to the opportunity to further discuss and explore the implementation of these technologies in collaboration with experts in toxicology and food safety.

## DISCLAIMER (ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE)

Author(s) hereby declare that NO generative AI technologies such as Large Language Models (ChatGPT, COPILOT, etc.) and text-to-image

generators have been used during writing or editing of manuscripts.

## COMPETING INTERESTS

Authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

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DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2017.4849

3. Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy Committee on Oversight and Reform U.S. House of Representatives. Baby foods are tainted with dangerous levels of arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury. Staff Report; 2021.

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© Copyright (2024): Author(s). The licensee is the journal publisher. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Peer-review history:
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https://www.sdiarticle5.com/review-history/118044