Causal Artificial Intelligence Models of Food Quality Data
Authors: Kurtanjek Želimir 
Published: January 2024

Research background. The aim of this study is to emphasize the importance of artificial intelligence (AI) and causality modelling of food quality and analysis with ’big data’. AI with structural causal modelling (SCM), based on Bayesian networks and deep learning, enables the integration of theoretical field knowledge in food technology with process production, physicochemical analytics and consumer organoleptic assessments. Food products have complex nature and data are highly dimensional, with intricate interrelations (correlations) that are difficult to relate to consumer sensory perception of food quality. Standard regression modelling techniques such as multiple ordinary least squares (OLS) and partial least squares (PLS) are effectively applied for the prediction by linear interpolations of observed data under cross-sectional stationary conditions. Upgrading linear regression models by machine learning (ML) accounts for nonlinear relations and reveals functional patterns, but is prone to confounding and failed predictions under unobserved nonstationary conditions. Confounding of data variables is the main obstacle to applications of the regression models in food innovations under previously untrained conditions. Hence, this manuscript focuses on applying causal graphical models with Bayesian networks to infer causal relationships and intervention effects between process variables and consumer sensory assessment of food quality.
Experimental approach. This study is based on the data available in the literature on the process of wheat bread baking quality, consumer sensory quality assessments of fermented milk products, and professional wine tasting data. The data for wheat baking quality were regularized by the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO elastic net). Bayesian statistics was applied for the evaluation of the model joint probability function for inferring the network structure and parameters. The obtained SCMs are presented as directed acyclic graphs (DAG). D-separation criteria were applied to block confounding effects in estimating direct and total causal effects of process variables and consumer perception on food quality. Probability distributions of causal effects of the intervention of individual process variables on quality are presented as partial dependency plots determined by Bayesian neural networks. In the case of wine quality causality, the total causal effects determined by SCMs are positively validated by the double machine learning (DML) algorithm.
Results and conclusions. The data set of 45 continuous variables corresponding to different chemical, physical and biochemical variables of wheat properties from seven Croatian cultivars during two years of controlled cultivation were analysed. LASSO regularization of the data set yielded the ten key predictors, accounting for 98 % variance of the baking quality data. Based on the key variables, the quality predictive random forest model with 75 % cross-validation accuracy was derived. Causal analysis between the quality and key predictors was based on the Bayesian model shown as a DAG graph. Protein content shows the most important direct causal effect with the corresponding path coefficient of 0.71, and THMM (total high-molecular-mass glutenin subunits) content was an indirect cause with a path coefficient of 0.42, and protein total average causal effect (ACE) was 0.65. The large data set of the quality of fermented milk products included binary consumer sensory data (taste, odour, turbidity), continuous physical variables (temperature,fat, pH, colour) and three grade classes of products by consumer quality assessment. A random forest model was derived for the prediction of the quality classification with an out-of-bag (OOB) error of 0.28 %. The Bayesian network model predicts that the direct causes of the taste classification are temperature, colour and fat content, while the direct causes of the quality classification are temperature, turbidity, odour and fat content. The key quality grade ACE of temperature –0.04 grade/°C and 0.3 quality grade/fat content were estimated. The temperature ACE dependency shows a nonlinear type as negative saturation with the ’breaking’ point at 60 °C, while for fat ACE had a positive linear trend. Causal quality analysis of red and white wine was based on the large data set of eleven continuous variables of physical and chemical properties and quality assessments classified in ten classes, from 1 to 10. Each classification was obtained in triplicate by a panel of professional wine tasters. A non-structural double machine learning (DML) algorithm was applied for total ACE quality assessment. The alcohol content of red and white wine had the key positive ACE relative factor of 0.35 quality/alcohol, while volatile acidity had the key negative ACE of –0.2 quality/acidity. The obtained ACE predictions by the unstructured DML algorithm are in close agreement with the ACE obtained by the structural SCM.
Novelty and scientific contribution. Novel methodologies and results for the application of causal artificial intelligence models in the analysis of consumer assessment of the quality of food products are presented. The application of Bayesian network structural causal models (SCM) enables the d-separation of pronounced effects of confounding between parameters in noncausal regression models. Based on the SCM, inference of ACE provides substantiated and validated research hypotheses for new products and support for decisions of potential interventions for improvement in product design, new process introduction, process control, management and marketing.