Researchers develop smart sensors to detect expired food and cosmetics

Does anyone remember the smart egg tray with humidity and temperature monitoring? The tray synchronized with a smartphone to let you know how many eggs were in the fridge and when they had to be tossed out. It also tracked the fridge’s temperature and humidity.

A group of scientists from Clarkson University is working with IoT sensor technology to develop smart paper-based sensors that will change color when food and cosmetics are going bad. Users don’t have to perform any special actions. The sensors provide real-time information, are portable, cheap and easy to use.

Because the secret behind the solution is the products’ unique antioxidants used for authentication, the method can identify plants for medicinal purposes or authenticate the origin of tea and wine.

“My lab has built a versatile sensing platform that incorporates all the needed reagents for detection in a piece of paper. At the same time, it is adaptable to different targets, including food contaminants, antioxidants and free radicals that indicate spoilage,” explained Silvana Andreescu, Ph.D.

“Most people working on similar sensors use solutions that migrate on channels. We use stable, inorganic particles that are redox active. When they interact with the substances we want to detect, they change color, and the intensity of the change tells us how concentrated the analyte is.”