Researchers have developed a new low-cost, smartphone-linked, eco-friendly sensor that can detect spoilage in meat and fish packaging.
The researchers, based at Imperial College London, said the sensor can help detect spoilage and reduce food waste for supermarkets and consumers.
Known as “paper-based electrical gas sensors” (PEGS), they detect spoilage gases like ammonia and trim-ethylamine in meat and fish products.
The sensor data can be read through smartphone apps whereby people can hold their device up to the packaging to see whether the food is safe to eat.
The researchers said the PEGS picked up trace amounts of spoilage gases quickly and more accurately than existing sensors.
Over 30 percent of British consumers throw away food solely because it reaches the use-by date, but 60 percent of food thrown away each year is safe to eat, reported the German news agency.
According to the Science Daily website, the new sensors cost two US cents each to produce.
Since it is a more accurate method that reduces wastes, the new sensor could eventually replace the expiry date to determine food edibility.
