CATCH Device Developed at IZTECH Labs Detects Food Adulteration at the Push of a Button

The device can identify adulteration in liquid foods such as honey, molasses, and olive oil within seconds.

Developed through a collaboration between the Food Engineering Process Laboratory at Izmir Institute of Technology (IZTECH) and the Software Engineering Department of Yaşar University’s Faculty of Engineering, the CATCH device offers rapid detection of adulteration in liquid foods like honey, molasses, and olive oil. This domestically produced device, approved by the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office, represents a breakthrough in food safety through its AI-powered thermal imaging technology.

IZTECH’s Innovative Technology: Artificial Intelligence Meets Thermal Imaging

The “Compact Adulteration Testing Cabinet on Honey” (CATCH) brings together thermal imaging and convolutional neural networks (CNNs), powered by IZTECH’s advanced technological infrastructure. This innovative system not only determines whether a product is adulterated but can also quantify the level of adulteration with high accuracy. The multi-layer artificial intelligence model developed at IZTECH accelerates analysis processes while delivering exceptional precision.

Technical Infrastructure and Working Principle

Developed at IZTECH’s Food Engineering Process Laboratory, CATCH integrates thermal imaging technology with customized CNN models. The system employs multiple AI models designed for different tasks—such as product classification and adulteration ratio prediction. This multi-layer architecture enables rapid and precise analysis, particularly in complex food matrices like honey. IZTECH’s AI-driven automation reduces analysis costs, making food safety procedures more accessible and efficient.

Approved by the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office, CATCH highlights IZTECH’s leadership in domestic technology development. By offering a fast, reliable, and cost-effective solution against food adulteration, the device is poised to have a transformative impact on both local and global food industries.

Click here to access the news article prepared by our project partner, Yaşar University.