Semiconductor Devices for Assessing Freshness of Food Products

Abstract

Freshness of food is one of the major deterministic factors that govern human health and wellbeing. Consumption of stale food can have minor to serious health implications. In general assessment of the quality of food relies upon human sensory evaluations. However, the perceived intensity of sensory attributes can vary significantly. To replace this confusion, scientists develop portable and inexpensive sensors with notable accuracy. In particular, dairy products, seafood and meat are more vulnerable to early spoilage. Thus, it is imperative to accurately detect the onset of spoilage, mediated by a range of microorganisms. Renowned professors Timothy Swagar of Dept of Chemistry, MIT, USA and Firat Guido of Bioengineering Department, Imperial College UK have conducted detail studies on the evaluation of the freshness of the non-vegetarian and vegetarian food. The sensor devices innovated by them are inexpensive compared to the costly Gas chromatography-Mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analytical equipment. These hand-held devices are portable with accurate detection. This article illustrates the development of a handheld prototype, developed in the authors’ laboratory for detection of methylamine gases, which serve as markers for the freshness of fish and seafood.