How Artificial Intelligence And Big Data Are Bolstering Food Safety

By Shijia Yao, Analyst, Global Food Safety Forum

We're all familiar with China's past food safety issue with infant formula. But, past food safety events have taught many lessons for China, as well as the rest of the world. This article will detail some recent legislation that has led to advancements in food safety alerts, including liability insurance, and how artificial intelligence is helping shape the future of food safety.

This article will also be featured in the forthcoming issue of FOCUS, GFSF (Global Food Safety Forum) newsletter.

Policy And Regulatory Background
Shanghai has always been China’s pioneer in promoting food safety liability insurance. The city issued the Proposals for Improving the City’s Financial Service and Promoting Economic Transition and Structural Adjustment in 2010, supporting financial institutions to develop food safety liability insurance business. In 2011, the municipal government encouraged producers and operators of infant formulas and raw aquatic products, large food, catering, delivery companies, and food suppliers of important public events to buy food safety liability insurance. After the promulgation of China’s new food safety law and the Guidance on Food Safety Liability Insurance Pilot Scheme in 2015, which encourages the establishment of a food safety liability insurance system at the national level, all 16 districts of Shanghai were included in the insurance pilot scheme by the end of 2016.