Have you ever wanted some way to tell whether meat and other foods are safe to consume?
A group of mechanical, chemical engineers and biochemists at Canada’s McMaster University may have come up with such a solution.
They’ve developed a new transparent test patch, named “Sentinel Wrap”, that can tell you if the food you’re about to buy or eat has become contaminated.
Researchers Hanie Yousefi and Tohid Didar examine a transparent patch which can be used in food packaging to detect pathogens. (McMaster University)
Detailing their new product in the American Chemical Society journal – Nano, the researchers suggest their patch can be put directly into food product packages.
The patch, which is imprinted with harmless molecules, will look out for any harmful foodborne microorganisms like E. coli and Salmonella that may have developed in the food.
According to the Canadian research team, the “Sentinel Wrap” patch would send out a signal to your smartphone or other devices if it detects the presence of harmful microorganisms.
They reassure that the patch itself will not affect the contents of the package.
The researchers say their patch could replace the “best before date” currently marked on various foods and drinks or perhaps even the common “sniff test” to provide a definitive answer whether you should toss or not buy food products like meat or milk.
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