Harnessing artificial intelligence for advancements in Rice / wheat functional food Research and Development

In recent years, the research and development (R&D) of rice and wheat functional foods has attracted a widespread attention from food researchers, driven by the increasing global food consumption and growing consumer demand for healthier and safer food. Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to enhance efficiency, quality, and safety through the AI's problem-solving and decision-support capabilities. This review provides a comprehensive overview of AI-related technologies applied in food industry, including machine learning, large language models, computer vision, and intelligent sensor. It then explores AI applications in rice / wheat functional food R&D over the past five years (2020-2024), covering key topics such as crops cultivation and screening, food processing, food quality and safety, challenges and future prospects. The introduction of AI technology has led the field towards higher efficiency, non-destructive analysis, better robustness and greater stability. In practical applications, combining AI technology with various spectroscopic and sensing technologies has shown great promise in addressing critical problems such as low crop yields, insufficient functional nutrition in grains, over-processing, and ecological contamination caused by traditional detection methods. Nevertheless, the implementation of AI in this field still faces several challenges, including narrow application scope, limited data availability, high application cost, and trust-related concerns. Looking ahead, as the application scenarios and functionalities of AI continue to broaden, AI is poised to emerge as a disruptive technology that would fundamentally transform the landscape of rice / wheat functional food R&D.