XAI-empowered IoT multi-sensor system for real-time milk adulteration detection

In response to the critical issue of milk adulteration jeopardizing both the nutritional integrity of milk and the health of consumers, this paper presents an innovative Artificial Intelligence (AI) enabled Internet of Things (IoT) based multi-sensor system. The escalating consumption of milk as a pivotal nutritional source necessitates robust measures to ensure its safety and quality. Traditional methods of detecting adulteration have shown limitations, prompting the development of an automated and advanced approach. The proposed system integrates various sensors capable of real-time measurement, including pH, electrical conductivity (EC), temperature, gas parameters, and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) parameters. This comprehensive approach extends to measuring key constituents of milk samples like Fat, Protein, Solids Not Fat (SNF), Lactose, and Gravity values. To address specific adulterants—Urea, Starch, Sodium Bicarbonate, Maltodextrin, and Formaldehyde—a machine learning-based ensemble technique is employed for classification. This ensemble method outperforms conventional algorithms like RF, Light GBM, and Extra Trees Classifiers, achieving an impressive 96% accuracy rate in detecting adulterants within the milk dataset. The pivotal contribution of this study lies in the development of an IoT-based data acquisition device that seamlessly integrates with the sensor system, enabling efficient and precise measurements. Additionally, XAI is used to analyse the results obtained by the proposed model. For this, a framework called SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) analysis is employed to elucidate the decision-making process of the ensemble model, enhancing the interpretability of results. By virtue of its real-time monitoring capabilities and accurate classification, the AI-enabled IoT-based multi-sensor system emerges as a promising solution for addressing milk adulteration. This innovation holds the potential to bolster milk quality control measures in the dairy industry. The system's ability to swiftly detect and categorize adulterants underscores its significance in combating the pervasive issue of compromised milk quality, thereby ensuring consumer safety and fostering industry integrity.