Experimental setup for the detection of volatile compounds in milk, pink nanoparticles visible above the liquid

According to James Consulting, a team of scientists at Washington State University (WSU) has developed a new sensor technology that makes milk the traditional method of labeling dates as a shelf life or a history.

Researchers from the University's Biological Systems Engineering (BSE), WSU/UI Food Science Institute, and other departments have developed a sensor that "smells" whether milk has deteriorated.

According to Professor Shyam Sablani of BSE, the sensor consists of chemically coated nanoparticles that do not need to be exposed to milk. The nanoparticles can directly react to the gases produced by milk and the growth of bacteria that indicate spoilage.

¡°Most deteriorating foods produce an unpleasant volatile compound,¡± Professor Sablani said. ¡°In most cases, it is caused by the growth of bacteria in the food, but it is conventional to open the container to smell it. ¡±

The sensor detects these volatile gases and changes color. The research breakthrough is still in its early stages, and Professor Sablani and his colleagues pointed out in a paper published in the journal Food Control that their research is based on a chemical reaction in a controlled laboratory environment. Results.

The team next plans to develop a way to visually show how long it takes for the food to deteriorate. Currently, the new sensor can only detect if the milk has deteriorated.

The coated nanoparticles under the microscope, before chemical reaction with the degraded milk gas (above); the same nanoparticles reacted chemically and ¡°smelled¡± the deteriorated milk (below)

Although the research is still in its early stages, Professor Sablani still hopes to work with the food industry to place the sensor on the plastic bottle cap of the bottle so that consumers can easily see how long the shelf life of the milk is.

There is a general problem with the shelf life of food labels, which are confirmed when the food is in the best environment.

Professor Sablani said: "Refrigerated or frozen foods are only at the right temperature, and their shelf life is accurate."

He added that it is very common for food to be transported or when consumers are coming home from the store, temperature is abnormal, and food temperatures are higher than optimal refrigeration and freezing temperatures.

¡°We have to work with the industry to achieve this goal,¡± Sablani said. ¡°But we are confident that we can succeed in helping to improve food safety and enable consumers to more accurately grasp the true shelf life of food.¡±