Dr Issam Damaj, Cardiff Metropolitan University

Smart Hygiene Intelligence: Co-Designing and Scaling Behavioural AI Tools for Improving Food Safety Compliance in the Food Industry and Domestic Sector

Award Details

Award Type:Research Proposal
Commissioning Fund Theme:​​Use of AI in behavioural research​ 
Lead Applicant:Dr Issam Damaj
Amount Awarded: £176,738 FEC
Administering Institution:Cardiff Metropolitan University
Start Date:15th March 2026
Duration:18 months

Research Summary

Smart Hygiene Intelligence (SHI) aims to improve food safety by combining behavioural science and artificial intelligence (AI) to help consumers, managers, and food handlers in both domestic and professional food environments carry out Good Hygiene Practices (GHP) that reduce the risk of foodborne disease. Poor handwashing and cleaning habits remain a major cause of foodborne illness, costing the UK billions of pounds each year. Current monitoring methods, such as manual checks or camera-based systems, are often costly, intrusive, or impractical for widespread use. 

This project will develop and test affordable, privacy-conscious tools that detect and continuously monitor hygiene-related behaviours in real time. Using small, intelligent sensors built into everyday kitchen and food-preparation environments, the system will recognise actions such as handwashing, drying, and surface cleaning, providing objective, real-time feedback to support performance monitoring, training, and evaluation of hygiene standards across homes and food businesses. 

The project brings together computer and AI engineers, behavioural scientists, and industry partners to co-design technolog y that is effective and acceptable to users across food environments. Through workshops, trials, and behavioural studies, the team will explore how AI systems can integrate with existing food-safety management systems and work alongside people—learning from their routines and providing tailored, behaviour-supportive feedback without compromising privacy. 

By integrating behavioural analysis and intelligent sensing, SHI will enhance understanding of how AI-driven tools can facilitate positive behavioural change to support public health, minimise the risk of foodborne illness, and align with food-safety compliance frameworks and legislative requirements across the wider food system. 

Expected Deliverables, Outputs and Outcomes

The project will generate both technical and behavioural outputs relevant to the advancement of behavioural research and food-safety practice: 

  1. Operational prototype of a smart hygiene monitoring system incorporating embedded sensors, adaptive AI algorithms and real-time feedback capability. 
  1. Behavioural-AI evaluation framework that models user response, feedback loops and compliance metrics. 
  1. Empirical datasets combining sensor data and coded behavioural observations to support open-science and reproducibility goals. 
  1. Technical and behavioural reports documenting design methodology, validation processes and outcomes. 
  1. Peer-reviewed publications and conference outputs on responsible AI, behavioural change and digital food safety. 
  1. Stakeholder resources, including infographics, guidance briefs and short demonstration videos for food-industry and domestic audiences. 
  1. Workshops and dissemination events with public-health professionals, regulators and industry partners. 

The project’s outcomes will emerge directly from its deliverables, contributing to both academic knowledge and applied impact: 

  1. Enhanced hygiene compliance in domestic, small-scale, and professional food environments through AI-supported behavioural feedback. 
  1. Demonstration of AI–human collaboration that effectively integrates intelligent sensing with behavioural research, advancing BR-UK’s methodological agenda. 
  1. Validated behavioural-AI evaluation model providing a foundation for future scaling, commercialisation, and adoption. 
  1. Increased research capability within Cardiff Met through new interdisciplinary tools, methods, and training pathways for researchers and students. 
  1. Pathways to impact through engagement with public-health agencies, food-safety regulators, and industry associations, ensuring early translation of findings. 
  1. Contribution to national and global priorities, including: 
  • UK Government objectives for digital innovation and public health. 
  • Welsh Government’s Well-being of Future Generations Act (2015) goals for a healthier and more prosperous Wales. 
  • Global frameworks such as WHO/UNICEF hand-hygiene guidelines and the UN Sustainable Development Goals on health, responsible consumption and sustainable communities. 

These outcomes will demonstrate how AI can guide behaviour, strengthen food-safety practice, and establish Cardiff Met as a leader in responsible AI research. 

About Issam

Research Team

Name 

Organisation 

Role  

Dr Issam Damaj 

Cardiff Metropolitan University

Principal Investigator

Prof Elizabeth Redmond 

Cardiff Metropolitan University

Co-Investigator

Dr Fiona Carroll 

Cardiff Metropolitan University

Co-Investigator

Dr Ellen Evans

Cardiff Metropolitan UniversityResearch Assistant

TBA 

Cardiff Metropolitan University

Research Assistant

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