Smart packaging could replace expiry dates
Smart packaging that detects gases emitted by rotting meat may soon be available, offering consumers far more accurate information than expiration dates.
Chemists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), in the US, have developed a sensor, which consists of chemically modified carbon nanotubes, which could be used in meat packaging, according to Timothy Swager, the John D MacArthur professor of chemistry at MIT.
"When the device encounters amines, which are markers of decaying meat, the current of the device will become lower," he said.
There are other sensors that can detect the signs of decaying meat, but they are usually large and expensive instruments that require expertise to operate. "The advantage we have is these are the cheapest, smallest, easiest-to-manufacture sensors," added Swager.
