DUT researchers present a handheld-style device that screens fruit and vegetables for pesticide residue risk

A research group at Da Nang University of Science and Technology (DUT) presented a prototype called NIR SafeFood, a rapid screening tool for pesticide-residue risk on fruit and vegetables, at a seminar on October 17, the university reported. The work is part of a city-level science and technology project led by Associate Professor Nguyễn Thị Thanh Xuân.

The device combines near-infrared spectroscopy with an AI model called SMART-NIR. The report says the model identifies the type of produce, detects the active ingredient and compares the result with the relevant maximum residue limit. Coverage so far is nine fruit and vegetable types and 19 pesticide active ingredients, and results appear in a web interface and a mobile app.

The report gives no accuracy, sensitivity or validation figures, and no price. It states that the screening result "does not replace in-depth analytical methods" and that the product is still being completed. Reliability on real-world samples and how results would be checked against confirmatory tests were raised as open questions at the seminar.

Sources

• Trường ĐH Bách khoa giới thiệu thiết bị NIR SafeFood sàng lọc nhanh an toàn rau quả (Da Nang University of Science and Technology, October 21, 2026, in Vietnamese)

This story was compiled by the Da Nang Voice news desk from the published sources listed above. Facts, figures and quotes are attributed to those sources; Da Nang Voice did not conduct interviews for it unless the text says so. Corrections are dated and noted at the top of the story. Read our corrections policy. Spotted an error? Tell us.