Patent Description:
The disclosure herein generally relates to food quality prediction, and, more particularly, to a system and method for non-invasive real-time prediction of liquid food quality within enclosed package.

In order to enhance shelf-life, liquid food-items are packaged within air-tight containers. Such containers may include various layers to prevent the exposure of the liquid food item with outside environment, thus imparting a comparatively longer shelf-life to the packaged liquid food than those liquid food items that are kept with improper packaging or no packaging. However, even with use of such packaging, there are scenarios that leads to huge wastage of packaged food items.

The liquid food-items within the air-tight containers cannot be evaluated for their quality post packaging i.e., once the air-tight containers are sealed, the information about the quality of the contents within the air-tight containers is not available and one has to rely solely on the printed date on the packaging of the air-tight containers. Further, at times this can prove to be misleading and contents of the airtight containers may be good post expiry or worse and inedible even prior to expiry. Such situations can arise due to temperature shocks received by the air-tight containers during its shelf and transportation lifetime.

Main reason behind the food wastage is inability to monitor the variation of food quality in real-time under different supply chain scenarios. To address this challenge real time monitoring and prediction of food quality for variety of foods becomes essential. This would enable dynamic decisions on rerouting, repurposing, and recycling. Document <CIT> discloses non-destructive method for determining the quality of at least one beverage, in particular a fermented and/or alcoholic beverage (such as a wine and/or wine product), in a closed container. The method comprises, in a first step, determining at least one first value of at least one quality parameter of the beverage, in a second step, determining at least one second value of the quality parameter of the beverage, and in a third step, based on the value of the quality parameters, in particular based on the ratio between the individual values of the quality parameters, the subtraction and/or the values of the quality parameters, determining the quality of the beverage. Here, when determining the first value of the quality parameter and the second value of the quality parameter, the beverage is in particular located in a closed, in particular unopened, container. Furthermore, it is advantageous here to monitor, in particular, changes in the quality parameters over time in order to determine the quality of the beverage. The method specifically allows for independent, self-referential quality determination, particularly without the need for complex algorithms to be associated with libraries or databases. Furthermore, the determination of the quality of the beverage is in particular independent of the physical properties of the container, such as its color, geometry and/or thickness. Therefore, the method is particularly independent of variations in the container due to production differences. Document <NPL>, discloses a non-destructive method to analyze the freshness of raw milk using an FT-NIR spectrometer and a fiber optic probe. Diffuse transmittance spectra were acquired in the spectral range <NUM>~<NUM>,<NUM> from raw milk samples collected from Northwest A&F University Animal Husbandry Station. After each spectral acquisition, quality parameters such as acidity, pH, and lactose content were measured by traditional detection methods. For all milk samples, PLS (partial least square regression), MLR (multiple linear regression), and ANN {artificial neural networks) analyses were carried out in order to develop models to predict parameters that were indicative of freshness.

Embodiments of the present disclosure present technological improvements as solutions to one or more of the above-mentioned technical problems recognized by the inventors in conventional systems. According to a first aspect, the invention is directed to a method as defined in claim <NUM>.

According to a second aspect, the invention is directed to a system as defined in claim <NUM>.

According to a third aspect, the invention is directed to one or more non-transitory machine-readable information storage mediums as defined in claim <NUM>.

It is to be understood that the description is exemplary and explanatory only and not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.

While examples and features of disclosed principles are described herein, modifications, adaptations, and other implementations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Food wastage due to lack of any effective real-time food monitoring method has led to a huge economic loss. This situation can be avoided if there is a provision for monitoring the food quality in real-time which can appraise the consumers regarding the food quality inside the package in real-time and noninvasively. Accordingly, even if the expiry date for food item is reached, and the food inside package is still consumable and in good quality, then the stake holders such as retailers, distributors and so on can opt for dynamic pricing to sell the packaged food. Customer can also rely on the quality of the food item and buy it even after the indicated expiry dates on the food package.

In one of the known techniques, near infra-red radiation (NIR) spectroscopy was used to determine the concentration of various compositions in milk. However, such solution does not assess the quality and remaining shelf life of liquids within packaged or air-tight containers. Hence, it is challenging to implement this conventional method for assessing the quality of the liquid food within packaged or air-tight containers. Further, in another known technique, the quality of food is predicted or estimated by finding the correlation between the food signature and the food quality. Here the word "signature" refers to a vector representation of food under different supply chain scenarios, as the food degrades over a period due to the variation in chemical composition, images, texture, firmness and gases emitted.

Various embodiments disclosed herein provide method and apparatus for quality monitoring of packaged liquid food item in a non-invasive manner. For example, in an embodiment, the disclosed apparatus includes a semi-transparent window configured on a portion of the enclosed package for transmitting the near infra-red radiation (NIR) signal through the contents of the enclosed package. A NIR reflection spectra which is obtained by virtue of the enclosed package dimensions and the contents of the enclosed package are measured. The NIR reflection spectra is then correlated with food quality using a machine learning based model.

<FIG> illustrates an example of an enclosed package for liquid food items in accordance with an example embodiment of the present disclosure. For the brevity of description, the enclosed package <NUM> is shown to assume a cuboid shape, however it will be understood that the enclosed package <NUM> may assume any shape other than the shape and size shown.

In an embodiment, a semi-transparent window <NUM> may be configured towards the inner walls of the enclosed package as depicted in <FIG>. Herein, it will be understood that for the brevity of description and ease of understanding, the semitransparent window <NUM> is shown to assume form of a circular shaped window. However, in alternate implementations, the semi-transparent window <NUM> may assume any shape other than the shape shown here.

In an embodiment, the semi-transparent window <NUM> can be configured by altering a transparent opening <NUM> of the existing enclosed package (for example, the enclosed package <NUM>) material for employing the NIR based sensor or NIR/hyperspectral device <NUM> to transmit and measure the reflected spectra and thereby to predict the quality of the food item, more specifically liquid food item inside the enclosed package <NUM>. The transparent opening <NUM> is configured on the enclosed package (for example, enclosed package <NUM>) towards the inner walls of the enclosed package as depicted in <FIG>. Herein, it will be understood that for the brevity of description and ease of understanding, the transparent opening <NUM> is shown to assume form of a circular shaped window. However, in alternate implementations, the transparent opening <NUM> may assume any shape other than the shape shown here.

In an embodiment, the near infra-red radiation (NIR) signal is transmitted through the semi-transparent window <NUM> configured on the enclosed package <NUM> using a NIR/hyperspectral device (NIR based sensor) <NUM>. The NIR signal wavelength can be swept over a range of <NUM>-<NUM> based on the particular liquid food item inside the enclosed package <NUM>. The NIR/ hyperspectral device <NUM> is a portable, external gadget which is used for multiple enclosed packages for a wide variety of contents, for example, juice milk, soup, and so on. The NIR/ hyperspectral device <NUM> detects the wavelengths of light adjacent to a visible light spectrum. Further, in the present disclosure, the NIR device <NUM> acts as a transducer i.e., the NIR device <NUM> transmits the NIR signal through the enclosed package <NUM> and also receive the NIR reflection spectra from the enclosed package <NUM>. The NIR reflection spectra is obtained when a NIR signal is transmitted though the semitransparent window <NUM> configured on the enclosed package <NUM>. The data related to the NIR reflection spectra which is received by the NIR device <NUM> is collected by an electronic device <NUM> for prediction of quality of liquid food item contained inside the enclosed package (for example, the enclosed package <NUM>). The electronic device <NUM> can be a laptop, desktop or mobile. In the present disclosure, the electronic device <NUM> is configured to include machine learning (NL) based models or algorithms. The collected NIR reflection spectra data include information about the contents of the enclosed package (for example, the enclosed package <NUM>) for example, milk, juice, soups, etc. Further, the information related to the collected NIR reflection spectra serve as a transfer function of the package dimensions, package contents and the quality of the contents of the enclosed package (for example, enclosed package <NUM>). In real-time, the NIR reflection spectra data will be collected by the NIR device <NUM> and sent to an android/iOS application. The machine learning (ML) based application runs in the background of the android/iOS application that predicts the quality of liquid food item within packaged enclosed package (for example, the enclosed package <NUM>) in real time.

In an embodiment, the collected NIR reflection spectra data are then correlated with the liquid food quality item within enclosed package (for example, the enclosed package <NUM>) using the machine learning based models comprised in the electronic device <NUM>. In the present disclosure, the NIR reflection spectra changes over time for the NIR input or signal which is swept across various wavelengths range of <NUM> to <NUM>,<NUM>. Further, as the food degrades there is a corresponding change in an interference pattern of the reflected lights within the enclosed package. This interference pattern can thus be correlated to the quality of the food. The response i.e., received NIR reflection spectra including the specific features such as information related to the contents of the enclosed package (for example, the enclosed package <NUM>) is trained via machine learning (ML) based models to provide a correlation between food quality, more specifically quality of liquid food item inside the enclosed package (for example, the enclosed package <NUM>). Further, the machine learning (ML) models/algorithms comprised in the electronic device <NUM> are based on the reflectance of light. In the present disclosure, the machine learning model helps in ascertaining the quality of the contents for example, juice having excess acidity for safe consumption or milk curdled without a user having to open the enclosed package (for example, enclosed package <NUM>). More specifically, the machine learning models are based on the correlation between the food quality with the received signal related to NIR reflection spectra over a range of frequencies. Training the machine learning model is further explained in the later sections.

In an embodiment, the present disclosure provides a lumped model which accounts for prediction of degradation of the overall quality of liquids or liquid foods enclosed within enclosed package (for example, the enclosed package <NUM>) and considers reflections within the enclosed package (for example, the enclosed package <NUM>) for the prediction of quality. In an example embodiment of the present disclosure, the lumped model for orange juice is developed based on the NIR reflection spectra of the orange juice and the ascorbic acid (AA) concentration in the orange juice. It is to be noted the ascorbic acid is the biomarker for the orange juice and the biomarker is specific to the liquid food item. The NIR reflection spectra is fed into the lumped model which is able to provide insights regarding the quality of the orange juice in real time by determining the AA concentration from the NIR reflection spectra. Further, the information about the quality of the orange juice and the remaining shelf life of the orange juice is derived from the AA concentration. In an embodiment of the present disclosure the word "NIR signature" represents the changes in the NIR reflection spectra due to the change of chemical composition, etc., over time, i.e., due to the degradation of liquids or liquid foods or liquid food items over time. Further, the 'NIR signature' of the NIR reflection spectra generated when the liquid food item is good will be different from the NIR reflection spectra data, which is generated when the liquid food item is turns bad or spoiled. Hence, the quality of the liquid food item is determined based on "good" food spectra and "spoiled" food spectra.

In an embodiment, the NIR reflection spectra obtained due to the changes in the physio-chemical properties of liquid food item over a period of time may be captured by an electronic device <NUM> that may be capable of predicting the quality of the liquid food item and a remaining shelf-life of the liquid food item. A system (embodied in the electronic device <NUM>) for predicting the quality of liquid food item contained in the enclosed package, and a method therefore are explained further with reference to <FIG> and <FIG>, respectively.

Referring now to <FIG>, a block diagram of a system <NUM> for predicting quality of a liquid food item contained in a enclosed package (for example, the enclosed package <NUM> of <FIG>) is illustrated, according to some embodiments of the present disclosure. The system <NUM> is capable of training a model for predicting the quality of liquid food item based on the NIR reflection spectra obtained inside the enclosed package as depicted in <FIG>.

The system <NUM> includes or is otherwise in communication with one or more hardware processors such as a processor <NUM>, at least one memory such as a memory <NUM>, and an I/O interface <NUM>. The processor <NUM>, memory <NUM>, and the I/O interface <NUM> may be coupled by a system bus such as a system bus <NUM> or a similar mechanism. The I/O interface <NUM> may include a variety of software and hardware interfaces, for example, a web interface, a graphical user interface, and the like. The interfaces <NUM> may include a variety of software and hardware interfaces, for example, interfaces for peripheral device(s), such as a keyboard, a mouse, an external memory, a camera device, and a printer. Further, the interfaces <NUM> may enable the system <NUM> to communicate with other devices, such as web servers and external databases. The interfaces <NUM> can facilitate multiple communications within a wide variety of networks and protocol types, including wired networks, for example, local area network (LAN), cable, etc., and wireless networks, such as Wireless LAN (WLAN), cellular, or satellite. For the purpose, the interfaces <NUM> may include one or more ports for connecting a number of computing systems with one another or to another server computer. The I/O interface <NUM> may include one or more ports for connecting a number of devices to one another or to another server.

The hardware processor <NUM> may be implemented as one or more microprocessors, microcomputers, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, central processing units, state machines, logic circuitries, and/or any devices that manipulate signals based on operational instructions. Among other capabilities, the hardware processor <NUM> is configured to fetch and execute computer-readable instructions stored in the memory <NUM>.

The memory <NUM> may include any computer-readable medium known in the art including, for example, volatile memory, such as static random-access memory (SRAM) and dynamic random-access memory (DRAM), and/or non-volatile memory, such as read only memory (ROM), erasable programmable ROM, flash memories, hard disks, optical disks, and magnetic tapes. In an embodiment, the memory <NUM> includes a plurality of modules <NUM> and a repository <NUM> for storing data processed, received, and generated by one or more of the modules <NUM>. The modules <NUM> may include routines, programs, objects, components, data structures, and so on, which perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types.

The repository <NUM>, amongst other things, includes a system database <NUM> and other data <NUM>. The other data <NUM> may include data generated as a result of the execution of one or more modules in the other modules <NUM>. In an embodiment, the repository <NUM> may store the data of the NIR reflection spectra associated with the prediction of food quality. For example, the data may include a data associated with the NIR reflection spectra obtained from inside the enclosed package <NUM>. In an embodiment, the repository <NUM> may store the data associated with the concentration of the biomarkers specific to the liquid food item contained in the enclosed package <NUM> and their progression which is required to estimate the remaining shelf for each liquid food item for example, juice, milk etc. A method of quality prediction of a liquid food item contained in the enclosed package (for example, the enclosed package <NUM>) by using the system (for example, the system <NUM>) is described further with reference to <FIG>.

Referring to <FIG>, a flow diagram of a method <NUM> for predicting quality of a liquid food item contained in the enclosed package (for example, the enclosed package <NUM>) is described in accordance with an example embodiment. The method <NUM> depicted in the flow chart may be executed by a system, for example, the system, <NUM> of <FIG>. In an example embodiment, the system <NUM> may be embodied in a computing device, as will be described further in the description.

Operations of the flowchart, and combinations of operation in the flowchart, may be implemented by various means, such as hardware, firmware, processor, circuitry and/or other device associated with execution of software including one or more computer program instructions. For example, one or more of the procedures described in various embodiments may be embodied by computer program instructions. In an example embodiment, the computer program instructions, which embody the procedures, described in various embodiments may be stored by at least one memory device of a system and executed by at least one processor in the system. Any such computer program instructions may be loaded onto a computer or other programmable system (for example, hardware) to produce a machine, such that the resulting computer or other programmable system embody means for implementing the operations specified in the flowchart. It will be noted herein that the operations of the method <NUM> are described with help of system <NUM>. However, the operations of the method <NUM> can be described and/or practiced by using any other system.

At step <NUM>, the one or more hardware processors transmit a near infra-red radiation (NIR) signal over a range of frequencies using a near infra-red radiation (NIR) device through a semi-transparent window configured on an enclosed package (for example, the enclosed package <NUM>) containing a liquid food item. At step <NUM>, the one or more hardware processors obtain the resulting near infra-red radiation (NIR) reflection spectra inside the enclosed package (for example, the enclosed package <NUM>) containing the liquid food item using an electronic device. At step <NUM>, the one or more hardware processors, derive, using a trained machine learning model, a plurality of features from the near infra-red radiation (NIR) reflection spectra obtained, wherein the trained machine learning model is trained on a near infra-red radiation (NIR) spectra obtained over a range of frequencies to characterize the liquid food item and correlate with quality. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the plurality of features can include area under the curve of the NIR reflection spectra, localized changes in the slope across the curve, height of the peaks, mean, variance, spread of the curve, wavelengths at which the peaks appear. At step <NUM>, the one or more hardware processors, perform a correlation of the plurality of derived features with the concentration of a biomarker contained in the liquid food item and estimate a remaining shelf-life of the liquid food item based on the concentration of the biomarker. At step <NUM>, the one or more hardware processors, estimates the quality of the liquid food item based on the correlation and the estimated remaining shelf-life.

In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the machine learning model is trained using a training dataset which comprises of a plurality of training features derived from the near infra-red radiation (NIR) reflection spectra obtained over the range of frequencies and a plurality of concentration of training biomarkers. Further, a correlation of the plurality of training features derived from the near infra-red radiation (NIR) reflection spectra with the plurality of concentration of the training biomarkers is performed and the remaining shelf-life of the plurality of liquid food items is estimated based on the plurality of concentration of the training biomarkers. Further, the machine learning model is trained to estimate the quality of the liquid food item based on the obtained correlation and the estimated remaining shelf-life. As mentioned above, the spoilage of the liquid food item contained in the enclosed package is correlated to the biomarker threshold for considering the degradation in quality and labeling the data in terms of quality/freshness index with respect to the biomarker threshold. At, lab experiments are performed to monitor the NIR signature at different concentrations of biomarkers specific to the plurality of liquid food items. The NIR signature observed when the biomarker concentration reaches its threshold, wherein the liquid food item is labelled bad. The machine learning model is trained on these time-series data namely, concentration of the biomarker, corresponding NIR signature change for prediction of quality in terms of the remaining shelf life.

<FIG> shows a use case example illustrating the detection of spoilage in an orange Juice based on NIR reflection spectra and the concentration of ascorbic acid in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure. The spoilage of orange juice occurs through both enzymatic and non-enzymatic pathways. In case of aseptically packaged orange juices, the enzymatic pathways are inhibited in order to prolong shelf life. Hence only the non-enzymatic browning occurs in such juices, during transportation & storage. The concentrations of compounds such as ascorbic acid, sugars (fructose, glucose, sucrose), dissolved & headspace oxygen, <NUM>-hydroxymethyl furfural and furfural in orange juice changes (increases/decreases) over time. Orange juice is a rich source of Vitamin C (ascorbic acid), having ~<NUM>/L at the time of packaging. The ascorbic acid degradation/spoilage is one of the principal ways by which the quality of the orange juice is commonly judged. As understood from the previous sections, the spoilage is correlated to the ascorbic acid (AA) threshold for considering the degradation in quality and labeling the data in terms of quality/freshness index with respect to the AA threshold of <NUM>/L. At, lab experiments are performed to monitor the NIR signature at different concentrations of AA in orange juice. The NIR signature observed when AA concentration. reaches <NUM>/L, the orange juice is labelled bad. A model is trained on these time-series data namely, conc of AA, corresponding signature change for prediction of quality in terms of the remaining shelf life.

In an example embodiment, variation of NIR reflection spectra of orange juice with respect to the variation in the concentration of Ascorbic Acid (biomarker) over time is depicted in <FIG>. <FIG> depicts the variation of NIR reflection spectra of orange juice at 0th day when the concentration of the ascorbic acid in the orange juice is <NUM>/L and wherein the remaining shelf life = <NUM> days. <FIG> depicts the variation of NIR reflection spectra of orange juice at 14th day when the concentration of the ascorbic acid in the orange juice is <NUM>/L and wherein the remaining shelf life = <NUM> days. <FIG> depicts the variation of NIR reflection spectra of orange juice at 31st day when the concentration of the ascorbic acid in the orange juice is <NUM>/L and wherein the remaining shelf life = <NUM> days. <FIG> depicts the variation of NIR reflection spectra of orange juice at 92nd day when the concentration of the ascorbic acid in the orange juice is <NUM>/L and wherein the remaining shelf life = <NUM> days. It can be observed from the <FIG>, there is a significant change in the area under the curve, height of peaks and spread of the curve of the NIR reflection spectra with the variation in the concentration of the ascorbic acid over time. Further, it is to be noted that, when the concentration of the Ascorbic Acid present in the orange juice reaches its threshold, for example in case of Ascorbic acid, the threshold is <NUM>/L, the orange juice is considered non-ideal for consumption or in other words, the orange juice is considered to be spoiled. It is to be understood by a person having ordinary skill in the art or a person skilled in the art that the above uses case or example shall not be construed as limiting the scope of the present disclosure. Further it is to be noted that the biomarker is specific to the liquid food item contained in the enclosed package.

In real-time this trained machine learning model acts as a soft sensor. The NIR reflection spectra is observed through the transparent window <NUM> on the enclosed package (for example, Tetrapak). In an example implementation, a dedicated mobile application is developed which allows user to scan the NIR reflection spectra. The trained machine learning model /soft sensor in the background which is linked to this application (locally or over cloud) considers the NIR reflection spectra as input to the trained machine learning model, estimates the corresponding ascorbic acid concentration at that time and correlates the NIR reflection spectra with the estimated ascorbic acid concentration. The trained machine learning model finally estimates the remaining shelf life based on the correlation and the remaining shelf life and the same is shown to the user in the mobile application.

Various embodiments disclosed herein provide method and system for estimating quality of food item packaged in an enclosed package. The embodiment of present disclosure herein addresses unresolved problem of monitoring and estimation of food quality no-invasively based on the NIR reflection spectra obtained inside the enclosed package. The NIR reflection spectra is obtained by transmitting a NIR radiation through the semi-transparent window configured on the enclosed package. The real-time quality monitoring may allow concerned stake holders to take dynamic decisions on repricing, reusing, recycling and repurposing, and so on and thus reduce food wastage and economic loss.

The disclosure also comprises a program and in addition to a computer-readable means having a message therein; such computer-readable storage means contain program-code means for implementation of one or more steps of the method, when the program runs on a server or mobile device or any suitable programmable device.

Claim 1:
A processor implemented method (<NUM>), comprising:
transmitting (<NUM>), via one or more hardware processors (<NUM>), a near infra-red radiation, NIR, signal over a range of frequencies using a near infra-red radiation, NIR, device (<NUM>) through a semi-transparent window (<NUM>) configured on an enclosed package (<NUM>) containing a liquid food item;
receiving, via the one or more hardware processors (<NUM>), data related to near infra-red radiation, NIR, reflection spectra inside the enclosed package (<NUM>) containing the liquid food item using the NIR device (<NUM>);
scanning the NIR reflection spectra by a user via a mobile application to obtain the data related to the NIR reflection spectra inside the enclosed package (<NUM>) containing the liquid food item;
collecting (<NUM>), via the one or more hardware processors (<NUM>), the data related to NIR reflection spectra inside the enclosed package containing the liquid food item using an electronic device (<NUM>);
deriving (<NUM>), using a machine learning model included in the electronic device (<NUM>) via the one or more hardware processors (<NUM>), a plurality of features from the NIR reflection spectra so collected, wherein the machine learning model is trained on NIR reflection spectra obtained over a range of frequencies to characterize the liquid food item and correlate with a concentration of a biomarker contained in the liquid food item indicative of quality;
performing (<NUM>), via the one or more hardware processors (<NUM>), a correlation of the plurality of derived features with the concentration of the biomarker contained in the liquid food item, and estimating a remaining shelf-life of the liquid food item based on the concentration of the biomarker;
estimating (<NUM>), via the one or more hardware processors (<NUM>), the quality of the liquid food item based on the correlation and the estimated remaining shelf-life; and
displaying to the user on the mobile application, the quality of the liquid food item based on the correlation and the estimated remaining shelf-life.