The confusing labels on food packaging has caused many people to throw away otherwise edible food, or those that are still safe to eat despite what the "best before" or "use by" date says. In this regard, Firat Guder, an assistant professor in bioengineering at Imperial College London, created a microsensor for smartphones which could detect whether food is safe to eat or not.
The sensor, which costs about two cents to make, identifies spoilage gases — ammonia and trimethylamine, for example — and are linked to “near field communication” (NFC) tags, microchips that smartphones easily can read.
The sensor could help people avoid consuming food tainted by bacteria, which can pose a danger if improperly cooked or mishandled. Beyond protecting people from illness, the sensors also could be important in the fight against climate change. Some 30 to 40 percent of the food produced in the United States is wasted, according to the USDA.
The researchers are still conducting tests on the effectiveness of the sensors on different types of food. So far, they have done tests on chicken and fish so they expect to release the microsensor within the next three years. Until then, we must use our own discretion with our food.
(Image credit: Caroline Attwood/Unsplash)
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I thought this might be interesting so clicked the link which took me to Popular Science. It seems that I must consent - no other option is apparent - to "Allow all cookies", That means consenting to 14 allegedly necessary cookies and 85, yes 85, others. Being spied on is not one of my favourite things so fuck that and fuck Popular Science. There seems no easy or convenient way to register my disapproval of the policy direct with Popular Science either.
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