Jiahui Chen, Zixuan Gu, Anet Režek Jambrak, Pengpeng Li, Muhan Zhang, Weimin Xu, Muthupandian Ashokkumar, Miao Zhang, Daoying Wang
This review examines recent advancements in Digital 4.0 technologies for quality control of pre-processed foods, with bibliometric analysis revealing China and the United States as dominant contributors (> 50% of publications). A notable research trend identified in this area is the integration of Digital technologies with health-related objectives. The quality variations in pre-processed food arise from complex, interdependent processing stages. Consequently, investigations limited to isolated steps may result in incomplete or biased conclusions. A comprehensive assessment across the entire processing chain is therefore necessary, leveraging advanced technologies such as image digitization and next-generation wireless communication systems. The implementation of Digital 4.0 technologies has demonstrated promising outcomes, including recognition accuracies exceeding 90% in certain applications. Moving forward, future efforts should prioritize the development of standardized food databases, professional workforce training, and enhanced mechanisms for ensuring consumer data privacy.