Transparent test patch signals contamination as it happens
The new technology has the potential to replace the traditional “best before” date on food and drinks.
Researchers from McMaster University, Canada, developed a test to bring certainty to whether meat and other foods are safe to eat or need to be thrown out.
Mechanical and chemical engineers at McMaster collaborated to develop a transparent test patch, printed with harmless molecules that can signal contamination as it happens. The patch can be incorporated directly into food packaging, where it can monitor the contents for harmful pathogens such as E. coli and Salmonella.