Internet of Things Sensors in Food Safety Monitoring across Cairo Marketplaces: An Comparative Study

The Internet of Things (IoT) has emerged as a transformative technology in various sectors, including food safety monitoring within marketplaces. In Cairo, IoT sensors have been increasingly deployed to enhance real-time data collection and analysis for ensuring food quality and safety. A mixed-methods approach was employed, integrating quantitative sensor data analysis with qualitative interviews. Sensor placement and operational protocols were standardised across all sites for comparative evaluation. Sensors detected contamination levels exceeding safety thresholds in 25% of monitored samples, indicating a need for more stringent regulatory oversight to ensure consistent food quality across Cairo markets. The deployment of IoT sensors has significantly improved the detection and response times to potential food safety issues. However, challenges remain regarding sensor reliability and consumer acceptance. Regulatory bodies should mandate uniform data reporting standards for all IoT sensors in urban marketplaces to enhance accuracy and comparability across sites. Marketplaces must also engage consumers in understanding IoT technology to foster trust. Model estimation used $\hat{\theta}=argmin_{\theta}\sum_i\ell(y_i,f_\theta(x_i))+\lambda\lVert\theta\rVert_2^2$, with performance evaluated using out-of-sample error.