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@article{199084,
        author = {SURENDRA DUTT ARYA and Bharat P. Shivnani},
        title = {AI-Integrated Spectroscopic Detection And Practical Quality Assurance Of Mycotoxins In Dairy And Milk-Based Ready-To-Eat Foods},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2026},
        volume = {12},
        number = {11},
        pages = {12594-12602},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=199084},
        abstract = {Mycotoxin contamination in dairy and milk-based ready-to-eat products is a critical public health concern, particularly in India where food supply systems span vast geographies. Aflatoxin M1 (AFM1), the hydroxylated form of AFB1, is the primary regulatory concern: it carries over from contaminated feed, survives pasteurisation and fermentation due to heat stability, and is classified as a Group 1 human carcinogen by IARC. Other mycotoxins including ochratoxin A (OTA), zearalenone (ZEN), fumonisins, and deoxynivalenol (DON) also persist in dairy products, posing chronic health risks, especially for children. Conventional detection methods such as HPLC and ELISA are expensive, slow, and impractical for real-time industrial monitoring. In Indian dairy operations, a single AFM1 test by HPLC costs INR 6,000–15,000 and takes 6–24 hours, by which time contaminated milk may already be in the processing line. This paper reviews AI-integrated spectroscopic platforms—NIR, FTIR, Raman, SERS, and fluorescence spectroscopy—as practical tools for rapid, non-destructive mycotoxin detection in dairy systems. It covers platform principles, AI architectures, cost comparisons in INR, realistic implementation pathways for Indian processors, key challenges including matrix variability and regulatory gaps, and future directions toward IoT and portable sensing. The findings demonstrate that AI-spectroscopic systems can screen 100% of incoming milk batches at INR 1–5 per test, compared to INR 6,000–15,000 for conventional HPLC, with results available in under 30 seconds, offering a transformative pathway for Indian dairy food safety infrastructure.},
        keywords = {Mycotoxin detection; Aflatoxin M1; NIR spectroscopy; FTIR; SERS; machine learning; dairy food safety; milk-based ready foods; internet of things; India; deep learning; food quality assurance.},
        month = {April},
        }